The Heart of a Queen
by Sevick
Summary: COMPLETE! Surrounded by traitors, with her country on the brink of civil war, Kaoru commits the worst of crimes... she falls in love with the enemy. AU, KK Can love truly conquer all?
1. And In Your Eyes

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_And in your eyes I see ribbons of color__…_

CHAPTER ONE

The ivy scraped roughly against her skin as she climbed down the stone wall, but nothing could halt Kaoru's descent. While one hand gripped the lattice tightly to support her weight, the other reached back to check that her wooden sword remained strapped to her back. With that reassurance, she continued her climb until she reached the grass below.

In the distance, Kaoru could hear the guards of the castle performing their rounds, crunching the gravel drive beneath silver boots. She held her breath as one passed a few feet beyond her, though she remained concealed in the shrubs at the castle wall.

Although darkness had already claimed the night, the palace of the kingdom of Meiji was still teeming with guards as they secured the sleeping court members' safety. Ever since the Bakumatsu Wars, civil unrest had become a part of life in both their simple nation and that of their enemy, the kingdom of Tokugawa. Too often the palace became a target of rebellious vandalism.

Finally, after waiting for most of the guards to clear out of the area, Kaoru made a dash for the garden. She burst through the bushes and onto the grass just as a guard walked past where she had stood moments before. Kaoru lay frozen on the ground until his footsteps died away into silence. Releasing a breath, she stood and took the wooden sword from her back.

As soon as the sword was clenched in her grasp, she felt the old movements sweep over her like a melody stuck in her mind; a compulsive need to move overtook her and she began to practice her swordsmanship.

Everyone had scolded her father for allowing her to practice swordsmanship, but it was as essential as breathing to her. She loved it as much as she loved her home.

The entire world fell away, leaving only Kaoru and the sword in her hand. Though it was only made of wood, she swore she heard the song of a metal sword cutting through the air, swore she felt the foreboding weight of a katana. She let the sword move her, surrendering to the dance.

Until the bushes moved.

Kaoru halted her movements, turning to stare at the quivering leaves of a nearby bush. Like a cat watching a bug, she stilled her entire body and focused all her energy on the bush, willing the concealed party to reveal itself as a simple rabbit or a squirrel. Nothing emerged, but she could see small glimpses of color peeking through the leaves. Someone was there.

Gripping her sword tightly, Kaoru moved one foot and then the next towards the bush. A breeze rustled the trees around her.

In a single motion, Kaoru stabbed her wooden sword into the bush, exacting a cry of pain from the recipient.

"Show yourself!" she yelled down to the groaning figure, who reached up a hand to part the top of the bush.

Staring down at the figure, all Kaoru could see was long, messy red hair and a magenta gi. A Tokugawa person for sure, if the hair was any indication. Perhaps a spy?

"Are you a spy for Tokugawa?" she demanded, reaching into the bush and seizing the figure by the gi. She pulled the person out to lie on the ground, and finally saw his face as he rolled over to lie on his back and lifted his hands in surrender.

"I assure you I am not," said the man, looking up with innocence in his eyes.

His eyes… Kaoru was immediately absorbed by them. They were a brilliant purple, large and unique. Yet another sign of his obvious Tokugawa ethnicity, as they were known for odd colorings. A scar marred his cheek, two intersecting lines that interrupted his smooth, pale skin. He was a small man, certainly short though she had never seen him standing, but he was probably bigger than her. Despite his lean frame, he obviously had muscles.

"Then who are you?" Kaoru asked, continuing to hold her wooden sword in her grip.

"I am just a simple wanderer. I'm afraid I'm lost in these parts." He smiled sheepishly, his hands still raised in surrender.

"Lost? And you end up in the private gardens of the palace?"

"I saw guards and I hid. I never meant to intrude," he said, continuing to smile. "Are you a guard? I must admit I've never seen a female guard before." Though he still smiled, an odd glint filled his eyes at his last statement. As if he was amused by seeing a female guard. Kaoru bristled visibly.

"Now wait-"

"INTRUDER!" a loud male voice bellowed from the edge of the clearing as a troop of guards burst in and surrounded the pair.

Kaoru stumbled back, letting her sword fall to her side. Guards ran in and enclosed the wanderer, seizing his arms in rough grasps and hauling him to his feet. Another guard grabbed her shoulders gently, steadying her. She recovered from the shock just as they began to drag the wanderer away.

"Wait, he's not dangerous, he's-"

"Kaoru!" another voice yelled in the chaos of the clearing, as a tall man approached her steadily.

"Gohei…" Kaoru sighed, slinging her sword over her back and meeting her advisor midway through the meadow.

"What are you doing out here at this late hour? With a sword?" A look of realization suddenly crossed his face and he sighed deeply. "Kaoru, tomorrow you will be crowned queen of Meiji. You will have greater responsibilities than anyone in the kingdom and the people will expect certain things of you. Being a proper lady and not a swordsman is one of them."

"I suppose marriage is the other," Kaoru grumbled as she followed Gohei back towards the palace doors.

"Now that you mention it, yes, it is." At Kaoru's rolling eyes, Gohei grabbed her arm and halted her movement. "How many times must I tell you? The kingdom has never had a female ruler, and now is not the time for any change in tradition. With Tokugawa facing civil war right at our borders, the people are uneasy enough as it is. They need a strong, male ruler to guide and protect them."

"Why can't they have a strong female ruler?" Kaoru ripped her arm from his grasp and stalked forward through the doors into the entryway of the palace. A few late night servants scrambled about to welcome her, and she gingerly placed her sword in the hands of one of her ladies-in-waiting, who took it with a slightly puzzled look.

"They can, and they will, but they want her to be married," Gohei countered, following her steps as she began ascending to the second floor where the bedrooms were.

"And if I refuse?"

Gohei ignored her comment completely, cutting her off at the doorway of her bedroom.

"The son of your general, Shishio, is a fine young man about your age. He is strong and well-liked by the people and the court," Gohei said swiftly, blocking the door with his large frame. Kaoru let out a frustrated sigh and glared up at him.

"You speak of Soujirou, I presume."

"Yes, I speak of Soujirou. He is a kind boy, don't you like him?"

"He's perfectly polite, if that's what you mean. But he is rather strange, and he never shows any real emotion," Kaoru explained, one hand on her hip. "And always with that empty smile… And his father! I can't stand Shishio!"

"He is your general, in charge of the forces that guard you. He has fought bravely for this kingdom and has suffered greatly for it."

"I am well aware of his unfortunate condition, and I know he is a brave soldier. But he is cruel and ruthless, and he almost destroyed Meiji with his foolish war! And he would have let my father take the blame for it, too," Kaoru told Gohei, finally fed up with the subject matter. "I do not wish to talk about all of this any longer. I want to go to bed, Gohei."

"I will allow you to sleep now, but this subject is not finished."

He stepped aside and Kaoru moved into her room, but stopped at the doorway and faced the large man standing out in the hallway.

"Tomorrow I become queen, Gohei. And you would do well to remember that once I am queen, you do not 'allow' me to do anything." She glared defiantly up at him. "Once I am queen, I am in charge and I may do what I wish." She slammed the door in his face.

Gohei stormed off towards his own bedroom, his hands twisting into fists at his sides.

"Oh we will see, _Y__our __M__ajesty_," he muttered to himself as he disappeared down the hall.

Kaoru breathed a deep sigh of relief as she moved into her room, settling onto the bed as a young lady-in-waiting came in and stood patiently at the doorway.

"Are you ready for bed, my lady?" the girl asked in a small, timid voice.

"I suppose I've had enough excitement for one night," she answered with a breath, beginning to pull the outer layers of her clothes off of her. The girl rushed forward to aid her. "What is your name, young one?"

"Tsubame," she answered, taking Kaoru's clothes and setting them on a table to be washed later.

"I suppose you heard about the intruder and my… adventure." At the girl's tiny nod, Kaoru laughed softly. "Gossip travels faster than wild stallions in this palace." Tsubame began to brush out her long dark hair, removing it from its high ponytail and letting it fall sweeping over her shoulders.

The intruder… an interesting person, Kaoru thought as the brush moved gently through her hair. A man from Tokugawa, her kingdom's sworn enemy, yet polite and soft-spoken despite his strange appearance. Was he in the dungeon now? She supposed now she would be the one to judge him, since she was now old enough to take the throne. _A queen… _

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts and Tsubame's brushing. She leapt up from the bed and hurried to the door, opening it to reveal Misao on the other side. The young woman rushed to Kaoru's side.

"Kaoru, I heard about your confrontation with the intruder in the garden! Was it true he grabbed you from your room and intended to kidnap you?" She was breathless with excitement. Kaoru laughed and took her friend's hand.

"No, nothing that exciting, I'm afraid. I was out practicing in secret when I heard a noise and found the man. He was simply lost, but the guards swarmed us and took him away," Kaoru said as she looked up at the gold-gilded ceiling. "He was from Tokugawa, did you hear?"

"Oh yes, I did. Was he frighteningly tall with purple hair?"

"No, he was rather small, but with wild red hair. I suppose what they say about their strange coloring is true."

"I heard their King, Hiko, is seven feet tall and wears a white cape," Misao said, nearly bouncing on the bed. "Have you ever seen him?"

"I remember seeing him once, long ago, when Father signed the treaty following the Bakumatsu Wars, but they could only stand to be in the same room for a moment, so I didn't get a good look at him. I do remember him being tall, but I was very small then." Kaoru smiled and remembered her father. Misao could see the glazed look in her eye and nudged her shoulder gently.

"Well, are you alright? Are you frightened?"

"I'm fine, Misao," Kaoru answered, suddenly turning to look her friend in the eyes. "What are you doing up at this hour?"

A delicate blush filled Misao's cheeks, and she ducked her head.

"Wait, don't explain," Kaoru said as she too blushed lightly. "You are newly married; I am not so naïve as not to comprehend what that means. Is Aoshi upset that you have left him?" Misao looked up, grinning but still blushing furiously, giving Kaoru a conspiratorial look.

"He is dead asleep," she said with a tone of pride underlying her words. "Quite worn out, I think."

Tsubame, who had been filling a bowl with water for Kaoru to wash her face, stumbled and almost spilled the water onto the carpet. Her face was bright red as she mumbled an apology.

The girls collapsed into giggles, falling back onto the bed. Kaoru loved to see her dearest friend so happy. They continued to share private details, blushing and giggling for several more moments before Misao regretfully had to leave.

Left in silence, Kaoru prepared for bed and then slipped into her warm bed. Tsubame slipped out the door and Kaoru was abandoned to her thoughts. Moonlight fell across her gold-embroidered sheets as she ruminated over the wild events of the night.

She fell asleep thinking of the wanderer.

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Kaoru watched as Tsubame gently settled the priceless necklace around her neck, admiring the way the sunlight reflected off it in the mirror.

A loud knock on the door disturbed the peace of the moment. Gohei stuck his head in the door.

"Sorry to disturb you, but they need you in court, Kaoru," he said gruffly.

"Starting tonight, it's 'Your Majesty'," she said with a snotty smile, adjusting her diamond earrings with the tip of her finger and glancing at Gohei through the mirror.

"Yes, _Y__our __M__ajesty_," Gohei said quickly before disappearing from the doorway.

Kaoru stood from her place at the vanity with the help of Tsubame, and smoothed the wrinkles in her gown. Layers of patterned silk surrounded her, adorned by twinkling jewels. Her raven hair was pulled up in an intricate style with diamond-studded chopsticks, and her face was heavily made up. Looking for one last moment in the mirror, she saw her sharp blue eyes stare back at her through thick lashes, and smiled. It wasn't a look she would have chosen, but she would have to get used to it. She was about to become the queen.

She descended into court from the main stairwell, taking her seat on the marble throne carefully so as not to twist or excessively wrinkle the fine fabric. Members of court filtered in, including Aoshi and his wife Misao, who gave Kaoru a grin and small wave as they stood in place.

At a smaller seat beside her, Megumi, Kaoru's cousin, took her seat. Next in line in the family though older in years, Megumi had always teased Kaoru for being such a tomboy and not good enough to be a princess. Now it was no secret that she wanted the throne herself, but she and Kaoru maintained a cold and polite relationship.

"Good morning, Kaoru. I'm sure you are excited for your coronation tonight," Megumi said in her satiny voice, glancing up at Kaoru from the corner of her eyes. "Can you resist looking like a boy long enough to attend your own ball, or will you embarrass this family yet again?"

"No more than you will embarrass us with your brazen flattery of anyone of the male species," Kaoru replied quietly, ignoring Megumi's rustle of clothing as she shifted in anger. Gohei stood at her side, stoic and still, as the last of the court members filled the room.

Gohei stepped forward.

"Thank you all for attending this session of court. We have only one urgent matter this day – an intruder found on the grounds last night," Gohei announced. Whispers erupted about the room.

Kaoru gripped the arms of her throne, unnoticeable to anyone but Misao, who watched her warily.

"Go retrieve him, Shishio," Gohei said beneath his breath to the man at his side. Shishio nodded and stalked off to the dungeons. Kaoru continued with menial tasks as he left for the prisoner.

Shishio was a strange man, especially since his serious injury at the battle of Hitokiri during the Bakumatsu Wars. Wrapped from head to toe in bandages, he looked almost like a mummy. He had been severely burned over his entire body, and now could only perform physical activities for fifteen minutes before suffering serious if not fatal repercussions. His general's uniform sat stiffly over his bandages, rustling as he walked. Despite his injuries, his eyes still held all the malice and power of a ruthless warrior.

He entered the damp stone dungeon with quick steps, signaling for his men to stand down. Slowing down to ominous, clockwork footsteps, he approached the last cell in the row.

"So you are the intruder?" he asked in his deep voice. The intruder looked up suddenly, and stared, frozen, at Shishio. "What are you staring at? My bandages?" he shouted, before spitting onto the stones before the intruder's feet. "Filthy Tokugawan, all alike."

Guards came forward and pulled the man out of the cell. Shishio held up a hand and stopped them before they pulled the man past him, leaning down to stare into his face.

"You look familiar, like a ghost from a nightmare I'd like to forget," Shishio remarked softly, staring intently into the man's violet eyes. Shaggy red hair fell into them, and all around him. In fact, at first glance he almost seemed to be all hair.

The intruder stared up at him with an almost nervous look in his wide eyes. Shishio scoffed and pulled away from him.

"Get him up to court." Then, with his mind still turning over the image of the man, he followed at a slower pace until they reached the court.

The intruder's hands were bound behind him with rope, his clothes torn and dirtied, and his hair filthy and tangled. He was thrown roughly onto the marble floor in front of the throne, which rose above him on a platform with stairs. Keeping his head down, the intruder awaited his fate.

"This man is charged with trespassing onto palace grounds, espionage for an enemy state, and refusal to cooperate with palace guards in interrogation," Gohei informed the crowd, who all watched the man with interest. Few had seen a Tokugawan since the days of the Bakumatsu Wars when the country was almost overrun with their soldiers.

"Recommended punishment – execution," Shishio stepped up to say, sending more trembling whispers through the crowd.

Kaoru stood up abruptly from her throne, silencing the entire room. She slowly descended the stairs, step by step, the rich fabric of her gown sliding over the marble with a sound like a snake on a forest floor. She stopped in front of the man.

"This man is simply a lost wanderer, nothing more," she said softly, though everyone heard. She tilted her head and looked intently down at the man, whose face was concealed by his lengthy hair. "Look at me."

He remained still.

"Look at me," she commanded slightly louder, as the people of the court murmured in confusion.

The man slowly lifted his head.

Their eyes met, locked for all time. And just like that, everything changed.

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**Author's Notes: **Hello! This chapter's mostly a lot of backstory, but it sets the whole thing up for the events to come. The two kingdoms are totally made up (but the names are taken from actual Bakumatsu terms), and are not really based on any specific location or time period.

Please review and let me know what you think! I love to read your comments - good or bad.

The opening line/chapter title is from Celine Dion's "Falling Into You"


	2. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_The first time ever I saw your face…_

CHAPTER TWO:

Recognition flooded his eyes as he stared up at Kaoru. She could almost see the thoughts moving through his head. _The female guard… is the queen… _

"Cut him loose," she ordered suddenly, and the room burst into noise. Where before snakelike whispers had moved through the room, people now engaged in outright conversation. Gohei ran up to Kaoru's side, shock written in bold letters across his face.

"What do you think you're doing!? He's a dangerous criminal!"

"Did you find any weapons on this man? Any signs that he is a spy or an invader?" Kaoru asked calmly, eyeing Gohei carefully. In her peripheral vision she saw Shishio approach at his lazy gait from the side.

"He did have a sword, a strange one - and he would not answer any of our questions in interrogation," Shishio said as he reached their place in the middle of the court. "I would not recommend any rash actions on your first day ruling the court, my lady."

"Traveling alone in a foreign country, I suppose he would want a sword with him. And I'd imagine he wouldn't answer your questions, Shishio," Kaoru replied bitterly, silencing the room and gaining everyone's attention once more. "Captured by a swarm of guards, shoved into a dungeon, and asked, I'm sure, a bunch of inappropriate and personal questions. I can only imagine what sort of physical abuse he might have endured. He was probably frightened out of his mind. I wouldn't have answered your questions either."

The captive stared up at her, mesmerized by the fire in her eyes, unable to look away. It seemed everyone else in the room was equally entranced. Shishio only glared at her.

"Cut him loose," she ordered again, and the guards hastened to follow her orders.

"But Kaoru, he's from Tokugawa, he's-"

"It's an order, Gohei. _My _order." Kaoru sent a chilling glare in Gohei's direction, silencing him effectively. The rest of the court remained silent.

The guard sliced off the ropes with his sword, and the captive's arms fell forward. His wrists were marked by torn flesh, his hands trembling slightly.

Kaoru knelt forward, the fabric of her gown bunching about her knees. Her jewels tinkled softly as she descended to the captive's eye level. As though they were one body, the court members held their breath. The queen-to-be, down on her knees!

"I apologize sincerely for the actions of my guards," she said in a warm tone as she gazed deeply into the captive's eyes. He only stared back, seemingly amazed. "You may stay as a guest here in the palace for as long as you like."

"I do not deserve such kindness and splendor, Your Majesty. You do not know me," the captive said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. Kaoru smiled.

"Everyone has things they wish to hide… You must at least stay one night, attend my coronation ball, and rest for your continued journey," she said with a forceful edge to her words. The captive looked up, into the eyes of a queen.

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

The room once again dissolved into private conversations. As Kaoru stood and the guards helped the captive to his feet, Misao watched with concern in her eyes. She took her husband's hand.

"There are troubled days ahead," she whispered softly. Aoshi nodded without a word, his eyes fixed on the man the guards helped towards the stairwell. The court members continued to talk.

"Silence! Court is adjourned for the day so that everyone may prepare themselves for my coronation," Kaoru announced from the steps to her throne. "I expect every one of my guests in the palace to be treated with kindness and respect."

The court members disbanded, the same topic on everyone's lips. The former King had always been too kind to prisoners, and it seemed his daughter had inherited the same trait. Would it prove her downfall?

As the throne room emptied out, Kaoru returned to her throne and sat down with a weary sigh. She had seen the bruises peeking through the captive's tattered clothes. The poor man… She could only hope he would take advantage of her kindness and stay more than one night. It was the least she could do.

Soon no one was left but Kaoru and Shishio. Gohei had stormed off, furious. With his usual lanky steps, Shishio approached the throne.

"A foolish action for your first day, my lady," he drawled as he stood beside her throne. Kaoru did not even look at him. "It will be remembered for your entire reign, and I predict your foolish kindness will mark your downfall."

"Are you already predicting my downfall, Shishio? Is this the sort of confidence a general should inspire in his queen? His master?" she said bitterly as she stared him straight in the eyes, the only part of his face truly visible. She could see the singed eyelids, the wrinkled flesh charred by old flames. But the fiercest fires lay within his eyes, simmering just beneath the surface.

"I merely caution you, my lady. You are young, and you have just inherited greater power than you could ever imagine. It is more than playing dress-up and giving orders; you hold a nation of people in your hands. At this time, more than ever, your people need those hands to be strong and ruthless, able to crush the enemy at any moment should there be need," Shishio said with a subtle grin. "I fear you releasing an enemy prisoner will not go over well with your nervous and frightened subjects. Especially with Jineh-"

"Enough. I choose to believe that ruthlessness is not power, Shishio," Kaoru said as she rose from her throne and began descending from the platform.

"But to make him a guest in the palace? Foolishness."

"It is only for one night," Kaoru replied quietly, her eyes downcast. She watched her jeweled shoes peek out from beneath her gown with every step. "After what you did to him, it's the least I could do."

"I will do what I must to protect this country."

"Like invade Tokugawa again?" Kaoru knew she had broached a sensitive subject, could tell by the way Shishio's hands suddenly tensed and fisted. By the quivering rage in his eyes, it looked as though he were about to strike her.

With a scowl, he turned abruptly and left. Kaoru released a breath, and then looked at the place on the floor where the captive had knelt. Where she had knelt in front of him…

"Shall I make you proud, Father? Or shall I bring this kingdom down around me?" she whispered to herself, before she saw Gohei motioning her towards the stairwell.

It was time to become a queen.

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"I can't believe you did that!" Misao nearly shouted as she burst into Kaoru's bedroom. Kaoru sat at the vanity, surrounded by ladies-in-waiting, who were all attending to her hair and make-up for the coronation. "Freed a Tokugawan prisoner! They'll be talking about it for days, months, years!"

"Calm down, Misao," Kaoru said calmly as a lady tugged on her hair.

"Are you excited? Mere hours from becoming queen of Meiji! The first queen ever known in these parts. Will you still be my friend once you are true royalty?"

"I'm true royalty now, I always have been," Kaoru said with a slight grin. One of the ladies doing her make-up scolded her, and she allowed her face to fall flat. Brushes and pins pinched and poked her all over her head.

Misao approached the vanity so that she could meet Kaoru's eyes in the mirror.

"Why did you do it, Kaoru?" she said softly, and all the ladies slowed their work to listen. Kaoru peered at Misao intently, weighing whether or not to answer.

"There was something in his eyes," she answered, before lowering her eyes to the vanity desk. "And he was an innocent man." She glanced quickly back up at Misao, who looked as though she were about to ask another question when one of her maids came running into the room.

"Miss Misao, you must prepare for the coronation!" she shouted, running over and bowing hastily towards Kaoru before turning a begging look to her mistress. "Sir Aoshi is urgently looking for you." Misao gave Kaoru a grin and then turned to follow her maid.

"Well, if _Sir Aoshi_ said so…"

The ladies made idle chit chat as they continued preparing Kaoru for the coronation. Kaoru zoned off, staring at her reflection in the mirror, as layers of make-up built up her pretty face to perfection. On the other side of the room, a tailor made careful last-minute adjustments to her gown.

Kaoru had been a princess all her life. The court seemed to dismiss her, believing that one day the king would have a male heir and tradition would continue. But then her mother had died, and the king had shocked everyone by refusing to marry again. Kaoru became the only heir, and uneasiness settled into the people.

Then the Bakumatsu Wars began, and no one had any time to be uneasy. Some say her father had ordered the invasion, others say Shishio did it on his own, but either way the formerly peaceful kingdom of Meiji suddenly invaded Tokugawa. Shishio disappeared for a while, but when her father became desperate to end the war, he brought him back. The mysterious battle of Hitokiri ended in the Tokugawa troops retreating and Shishio burned, his troops returning to Meiji. A shaky peace took hold, with a flimsy treaty the only thing keeping the now bitter enemy kingdoms from going to war yet again.

It had been ten years since then, but the people remembered the pain and suffering as though it reoccurred every day. She knew a queen was not as comforting as a powerful king, but she believed that she could be every bit as strong a ruler as any man.

Kaoru met her own gaze in the reflection. She would be the best ruler Meiji ever knew.

The ladies stepped away, admiring the work. As Kaoru rose from the vanity, the tailor came over to help her into her gown.

Within moments, Kaoru was surrounded in finery, from the diamonds decorating her hair, ears, and neck to the silk and lace covering her body. The gown was a deep blue, with highlights of sky blue and lowlights of amethyst. As she turned, those attending her gasped and praised as appropriate, though she liked to imagine they were sincere in their attention.

She lifted a hand to touch her head, which was unusually void of a tiara or elaborate hairstyle.

"In a few moments, there will be a crown there," one of her ladies said, eyes glistening. She had grown up with many of them, and in the cold days after her mother's death, they had been family.

Gohei strutted into the room, dressed in all his regal finery.

"It is time," he said, opening the door and leading Kaoru out. She slipped her arm into the crook of his elbow, shoving her shoulders back and lifting her chin. No longer a princess – now a queen.

"I'm ready," she whispered, and they walked to the top of the stairwell. The stairs led into the foyer of the castle, which connected with the throne room through a large archway to the side. A red carpet led down the stairs, through the foyer, and straight to her throne.

As musicians began a pounding processional, Kaoru and Gohei descended the stairs step by step. Those attending the event whispered and praised Kaoru's beauty as she glided down the stairwell like an angel coming down from heaven. Excitement and nerves clashed in Kaoru's belly, but she held her smile stiff and her eyes darted about, trying to take in every one of her subjects who had come to celebrate with her.

She barely remembered her father's coronation, when her grandfather died, for she had been barely older than a toddler at the time; but she liked to think she remembered the glittering lights, the twirling skirts, and the regal music as the ceremony went on. Of course, that could be just about any ball, but she could pretend with herself this time.

As they turned into the throne room, Kaoru held her breath and gazed ahead at the throne. Silk fell in smooth lines behind and around it, and rose petals were strewn over the marble steps. The Royal Minister stood beside the throne, the gilded crown on a velvet pillow at his side.

"This is it," Gohei whispered to her as they reached the first stair. He placed a chaste kiss to her cheek, and released her trembling hand. Then he stepped into the shadows.

Kaoru stood alone before the throne. This was it. Going over the rehearsed motions in her head, she took her first step towards the throne.

Step by step, Kaoru climbed before she reached the top of the platform where the Royal Minister stood.

She could hear him beginning the ritual words; automatically she replied as she had practiced. Finally, they reached the last of the phrases.

"Do you take the land of Meiji into your hands, for safekeeping, in poverty and wealth, in peace and in war, until death takes you?"

Kaoru gazed up into the minister's smiling eyes, and then eyed the shining crown for only a moment.

"I do."

Putting one leg forward, she slowly lowered herself to one knee. Immediately she was hit with a vision of that afternoon, when she had knelt to stare into the eyes of the captive. She saw him, staring at her, his eyes digging into her soul.

Then she felt the weight of the crown settle on her head.

Gracefully, as she had practiced, she stood from her place and smiled at the minister. Then she turned on her heels to face the crowd, which waited on bated breath for her to complete the ceremony. Kaoru stepped back until her legs hit the throne, and then sat down into the large marble seat. The minister cleared his throat and stepped towards the crowd.

"May I introduce, Her Majesty, Queen Kaoru of Meiji!"

The crowd yelled and cheered, some throwing long-stemmed roses onto the marble platform and steps. Kaoru closed her eyes and basked in the moment. Her entire body trembled and tingled, and she couldn't keep from smiling. She was queen now.

She opened her eyes, and found herself staring right into a pair of amethyst eyes in the crowd.

It was the captive, though his shaggy hair had been trimmed and his filthy skin cleaned. He was dressed in a borrowed outfit, a regal suit, and was suddenly the most handsome man she'd ever seen. As she stared, he smiled up at her, his hands clasped behind his back. For a moment she imagined they were tied there, but then he lifted one to straighten his collar.

Kaoru pulled her gaze away from him.

But for the rest of the ceremony, as she received endless congratulations, her eyes kept returning to find, once again, the man with the violet eyes.

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"You look beautiful tonight, Kaoru," an oily female voice said from her side, as Kaoru moved towards the doorway of the ballroom. She turned to see Megumi standing there, in a stunning red gown, eyeing her with a smirk. "Or shall I call you, 'Your Majesty', now?"

"You're family, Megumi. Call me Kaoru."

The crown had been replaced with a lighter tiara, and some of the layers had been removed from the dress so that she could dance. Still, the blue silk flowed over her modest curves and enhanced the deep sapphire of her eyes.

"You know, I don't blame you for freeing that Tokugawa man," Megumi said as she stepped partially through the doorway. "He is incredibly handsome. Perhaps I should welcome him to Meiji properly." With that, she slipped completely into the ballroom.

Kaoru growled beneath her breath and smoothed the top layer of her dress.

"There's nothing 'proper' about how you'd welcome him, Megumi," she muttered to herself as Gohei walked up beside her.

"Ready for your coronation ball?" he asked with a smile, his earlier anger dismissed or at least forgotten for the moment.

"Yes," she replied as once again she took his arm and allowed him to lead her into the room. The dancers on the wood dance floor halted their twirling to welcome her with congratulations and applause.

And standing to the side was the captive, smiling and cheering like the rest. Megumi stood closely at his side.

Kaoru and Gohei strolled out to the middle of the dance floor, as the dancers parted like the waters of the Red Sea. Then the orchestra struck up a waltz, and they began their first dance. If Kaoru had been married, it would have been with her husband that she took this dance. But, as everyone was well aware, she was not.

After an appropriate amount of time, others joined the waltz. Soon the dance floor was once again teeming with dancers.

Kaoru could see Misao happily dancing with Aoshi, who looked emotionless as usual. Although, upon closer inspection, Kaoru could see the warmth in his eyes as he gazed down at the woman pressed against his chest. They were inappropriately close, but anyone who gave them a second glance merely smiled a knowing smile. It had only been a few weeks since their wedding.

Kaoru looked around for the captive; he was nowhere to be seen.

But then she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"May I cut in?"

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**Author's Notes: **Hi! Thank you so much to those of you who reviewed the last chapter! Next chapter things really get going - so stay tuned. Should I do chapter previews? Let me know - I did in my last story (a _long_ time ago) and if you guys like them, I'll do them for this story too.

The opening line/chapter title is from the song, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", by Celine Dion


	3. We're Heading for Something

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_We're heading for something, somewhere I've never been…_

CHAPTER THREE:

"I'm not sure that is such a good idea, Your Majesty," Gohei said immediately as the pair turned to look at the captive, who stood smiling pleasant at Kaoru's side.

"I merely wish to thank Her Majesty for allowing me to stay in the palace," the captive said politely, subtly pulling Kaoru away from her advisor. "Nothing more." He stared straight at Gohei.

Kaoru gave Gohei a look and stepped away from him, holding onto the captive's hands. Even though her gloves separated them, she felt an ungodly heat between their palms. The music started up a new song, and Kaoru was swept into the dance.

Though they were steps she'd danced a thousand times before, and music she'd heard as many times, the entire experience hummed with newness and excitement. Her gaze darted back and forth from the captive to the air above his shoulder. Despite the hum of conversation about them, they danced in silence.

"I must admit, Your Majesty," the captive began, breaking the silence, "I've never met a queen who practices swordsmanship. Or a princess. Or even a noblewoman." Kaoru eyed him carefully.

"Are you implying it's improper, Sir?"

"No, Your Majesty, merely uncommon," he replied, with that surrendering smile once again on his lips.

"There's no need to call me that; I'll hear it for the rest of my life. Call me Kaoru," she said, resting her gaze on his handsome face.

"I feel that would be terribly improper-"

"As I'm sure you already assume from my practicing swordsmanship, I am hardly a 'proper' queen," Kaoru retorted, before blushing delicately. "I apologize for my rashness, Sir."

"No need, Kaoru," he said with a smile. "I will admit I much prefer a rash and improper lady to a stuffy and boring one." Then it was his turn to blush slightly. "Now I am being rash."

"Oh, we will never be able to converse if we are constantly stepping on each other's toes. Shall we agree to one night of outrageous impropriety, Sir?" Kaoru smiled up at him, forgetting all the others around her carefully watching her every move.

"I fear I may enjoy such an evening too much, but if it is only one night…"

The song came to an end just as he stopped speaking, and they stilled, their faces mere inches apart. Before anyone could notice the intense gaze heating the space between them, the next song began and everyone was dancing again. It was a bold tango, one of Kaoru's favorite dances, but one which always scandalized her advisor.

"So how did you begin practicing swordsmanship, Kaoru?" Kenshin asked as they twisted and turned over the floor. Their bodies were almost pressed together, scant centimeters apart. Kaoru pulled her attention away from that fact to focus on his question.

"My father loved to practice swords, and as I was his only child, he gave that love to me. No one ever wanted me to, but I just loved it too much. Besides, it remains a connection to my father in his… absence," she explained.

"Ah, yes, Koshijirou…" the captive said, with a nostalgic tone in his voice. Kaoru looked up at him, startled. "I mean, _King_ Koshijirou. I heard much about him in my travels," he recovered quickly, looking away as the dance dictated they move the other direction. Kaoru thought to ask him more about it, but was then jerked in the other direction once again by the dance.

"Dancing is like swordfighting, don't you think?" she asked him after a moment. Couples twirled and stalked across the floor to the pounding music of the orchestra. "Especially the tango. The back and forth motion, the concentration, the intense… connection…" Her voice faded off, as she gazed up into his eyes.

"I am inclined to agree with you." The captive smiled, different than his surrender smile; it was a smile of inner emotions that flitted across his face before settling back into that simple grin.

"Who are you?"

"I told you; nothing but a simple wanderer." The simple grin remained, but his eyes shone brighter than the candelabras adorning the walls.

"No, that is not enough. I want to know who you are." Kaoru's grip on his hand tightened even further, her eyes not moving from his. Even though their focuses were entirely on each other, they continued the dance without stumbling.

"I am a sinner," he said softly in her ear, leaning forward so she couldn't see his face.

"That's not who you are – you aren't sinning right now."

The captive pulled back, looking her straight in the eyes. They heard the orchestra play the last few notes of the tango. Without breaking the gaze between them, the captive dipped her backwards over his arm.

"Oh, but I am," he whispered to her as he pulled her back up and into his arms.

"Tell me your name," she asked him, keeping them standing still even as the next song began. The captive paused, not releasing her from his improper embrace.

"Kenshin."

The next dance had already begun, the couples returning to yet another breathless whirlwind of motion. Kaoru did not want to leave Kenshin, for some reason she dared not examine, but her throat was suddenly raw and dry.

"I must get something to drink; I am parched," she told him as she began to walk across the dance floor. Kenshin made to follow her, but an older noble woman seized him and swept him into a dance. Instead of being jealous, Kaoru merely laughed at the stricken look on his face.

Swallowing the water in several large gulps, Kaoru hid her unladylike display in the shadows of the corner. Yet she was found, inevitably, but her dear friend Misao.

"Oh, Kaoru, the ball is wonderful! And you look _so _beautiful. When I saw you sit down on the throne with that crown on your head, oh my goodness, I cried. Aoshi will tell you!" As she stopped to breathe, she gestured to the tall, silent man who had been standing beside her the entire time, though Kaoru hadn't noticed him.

"She did," he answered in his deep voice, allowing his mouth to smile, just a bit. "Congratulations, Your Majesty."

"Oh, Aoshi, it's still me – your wife's best friend. Call me Kaoru, please," she said, placing the palm of her hand on his arm.

"As you wish."

Misao giggled, wrapping her arm around Aoshi's waist and pressing her face into the breast pocket of his jacket.

"Misao, this is indecent," Aoshi told her, but there was no anger in his face.

"You've been in the wine, haven't you?" Kaoru asked with a laugh, noting the light dusting of red across her friend's nose.

"I'm an adult. I'm married!" She giggled as she spoke, then pointed a finger at Aoshi. "To you!" She burst into even louder giggles, drawing looks from many of the surrounding nobles.

Despite the indecency of it, Aoshi suddenly pulled Misao into his arms and pulled her to him in a deep kiss. Kaoru blushed and looked away, as did many of the onlookers. At least it silenced Misao, which Kaoru suspected was the reason behind his sudden public display of affection.

The old lady who had grabbed Kenshin suddenly appeared, dragging the poor man along with her.

"Oh, would you look at that? I just love seeing young people in love," she said to Kaoru, before doing a double take at her. "Oh my, I'm sorry, Your Majesty, how rude of me to go on like that."

"No, no, it's all right," Kaoru assured her, laughing at Kenshin's exasperated face, which he quickly changed to that simple smile when the lady glanced at him.

"Oh, I saw you two out there, though I don't think many others did," the old lady remarked upon returning her gaze to Kaoru. "I've always wanted to dance with a Tokugawa man; I believe the rumors were true." She released Kenshin's arm but gave him a brilliant smile before hustling off in the other direction.

"You abandoned me," Kenshin said as he stepped beside Kaoru.

"I'm sorry, but Lady Yamaguchi is very determined when she finds a dance partner," Kaoru said with a laugh.

Aoshi and Misao had come up for air, and now stood in the corner, talking quietly. Every once in a while, their conversation was punctuated by Misao's giggles, but Aoshi always skillfully knew how to silence her. Kaoru watched them intently, with a satisfied sigh.

"They seem to be very much in love," Kenshin remarked quietly, also watching the pair. Kaoru turned her attention to him.

"Oh, they are. Misao's been in love with Aoshi… forever," she said with a smile, as her eyes glazed over in memory. "Finally, last year, he returned the favor. They were married just a few weeks ago."

Kenshin too seemed lost in thought, watching as Misao grabbed Aoshi's hand and tugged him out to the dance floor. Kaoru watched, amazed, as Aoshi fully smiled when he took Misao's hand and they began to waltz. In all the years at court, even in all their courtship, she had never seen such an honest expression of emotion on the man's face. The only thing that came close were his shimmering eyes as Misao came down the aisle at their wedding; but that might have been just a trick of the light.

"It warms my heart to see such honest love in this world," Kenshin said as he kept his eyes on the twirling couple. "I thought for sure it was all gone …"

"Why?"

Kenshin ducked his head and smiled.

"I must learn to keep my thoughts to myself, especially in your presence, my lady," Kenshin said with his simple smile back on his face. Kaoru frowned.

"I thought we had agreed on 'Kaoru'?"

"It seems much too informal for a man you hardly know to address a queen in such a manner."

"I thought we were spending one night free of the limits of propriety." Kaoru looked up at him, and saw that he was about to say something more when she saw Gohei approaching over his shoulder, an angry look marring his face.

This night… her coronation, dancing with Kenshin, watching her best friend and her husband… the closest thing she may ever have to a perfect night. She could not deal with Gohei right now.

"Come with me, now," Kaoru said suddenly, taking Kenshin's hand and pulling him through the crowd. Heads turned as they passed, curious glances were thrown their way, but Kaoru kept stealthily evading Gohei. Kenshin followed along, silent.

They moved through tall French doors into a larger garden than the night before, this one stuffed with roses and circling a beautiful fountain. A pair of angels, a man and a woman in a lover's embrace, stood in the center of the fountain. Kaoru pulled Kenshin around to the other side of the fountain, and pulled him down into a crouch.

"What are we doing?" Kenshin whispered, following Kaoru's intent gaze on the French doors.

Gohei filled the doorway, his gaze sweeping over the garden. With a dark scowl marring his face, he disappeared back into the ballroom.

"Oh, he makes me so angry!" Kaoru shouted as she stood up from behind the fountain. "Look at me, hiding behind the fountain like a child – but I would do it a thousand times more to stay away from him."

"Why do you have so much anger towards him? Isn't he your advisor?"

"He doesn't 'advise' so much as scold me all the time," Kaoru said, turning to the man standing beside her. The soft glow of the garden lamps lit his hair like the last embers of a flame, and made his eyes a pair of sparkling jewels. Little did she know what he was thinking about her at that moment, as the lamps shone off her long tresses and silk gown.

"Why don't you fire him?"

"I can't, not without the court's approval. My father and his advisor, Gensai, died in the same month, and the court appointed Gohei right away to begin my training for the throne. I could do nothing about it," Kaoru said, leaning her palms against the ridge of the fountain. "Around here, Kenshin, nothing can be done without the court. Even in unspoken matters, the court's approval – which means the people's also – is everything." She sighed deeply and turned to rest her bottom on the fountain. Tilting her head back, her long hair loosened from its intricate style and spilled down her back, hanging just a few inches above the water. Kenshin's eyes burned into her, though she refused to meet his gaze.

"Well, you are queen now. That should count for something, shouldn't it?" Kenshin leaned against the fountain beside her, his hand so close to hers that she could imagine how it would feel to brush skin against skin. She didn't dare.

"It should, but my people don't want me, not really," she said with a soft breath. "They'll celebrate my coronation, since it is something to take the focus off of their pain, our pain – but they want me to marry. They want a king."

Kaoru waited for Kenshin to reply, but for an unbearably long moment, he said nothing. She looked back at the French doors, into the ballroom, where brightly colored dresses moved in astonishing patterns throughout the room.

"I don't want to marry. At least… not for anything but love," she said quietly, though she knew Kenshin had heard her. "My parents loved each other so much… and you saw Misao and Aoshi. I want that. I know I'm young, naïve, and in no position to bargain, but I want it so badly."

"You may be young, but you are the queen. I would say you are in the perfect position to bargain, that I would," Kenshin said with a smile, and Kaoru returned it.

"Everyone believes that royalty has the most freedom, when in truth we have the least," she said, but Kenshin only chuckled slightly.

"It is hard to take you seriously as a martyr when you sit here before me, covered in jewels and silk."

"I am very blessed, I know," she said softly, her eyes falling to the tiny space between their hands. "But I fear I shall never know love… and it is hard to stare ahead into a loveless life and not feel the slightest bit of self pity."

She lifted her gaze to Kenshin's, and found his face suddenly closer to his. Not indecently close, she noted, but close enough that when he expelled a forceful breath, she felt it tickle over her lips.

Their eyes were joined, fallen again into the chains that bound them, everything that was between them bared in that single stare.

"Kiss me," Kaoru whispered.

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"A foolish little girl – she'll be the end of us all!"

"Calm yourself, Gohei," Shishio said as he stood beside his wife, Yumi, at the head of the ballroom. She sipped slowly at her goblet of wine, observing the dancing with an envious eye. Shishio seemed to notice her beside him, and pulled her by the waist against him. "Sorry dear, you know such physical activity would be the death of me."

"I know, love," she said as she ran a hand gently over the bandages on his arm, "but sometimes I think you just say that to get out of dancing." Shishio chuckled and squeezed her waist, which elicited a school girl giggle from her before she stifled it with a hand. Gohei looked away in disgust.

"Did you hear me, Shishio? She was dancing with that Tokugawa intruder! The tango, even!"

"And just why are you upset about that?"

"Because… she'll disgrace the throne, she'll bring revolt upon us, and she'll cause us – well, me – untold embarrassment!"

"Well, embarrassment aside, don't you think it's even better if she dethrones herself?" Shishio grinned over at Gohei, while Yumi sipped her drink and pretended to be deaf. "Much easier than killing her - much less messy. If she disgraces herself out of office and causes a riot, we can just step in and take control. Especially if it's someone like Jineh who starts it – he's been itching for revolt for ages now, and I happen to know he approves of me."

"But if it comes to that, the rest of the people may want nothing to do with _anyone_ even remotely related to her royal line – that includes us."

"Well then, we'll go ahead with arranging the marriage with my son. But don't put an end to this thing with the Tokugawan – I have a horrible feeling about him, but sometimes my horrible feelings are just… right." Shishio laughed, as Gohei nodded and walked away.

Something was off about the man from Tokugawa. He had a feeling they would come to regret the decision not to get rid of him very soon.

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**Author's Notes: **And the plot thickens...

Thank you to all those who reviewed the last chapter! I know the tango was a little out there, but I just liked that "sinning" line too much, so... Coming up, some real action - and of course, drama abounds...

Next chapter...

_Shouts and screams finally reached their ears from outside the castle, and the court erupted into chaos. _

_"It's Jineh! It's a revolt!" someone shouted from the foyer, and then the rebels reached the palace doors._

The opening line/chapter title is from Celine Dion's "The Power of Love"


	4. You Know You Will Break My Heart

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_You know you will break my heart…_

CHAPTER FOUR:

"What?"

"Kiss me," she repeated, her eyelids already sliding lower. Kenshin pulled back ever so slightly, drawing her full attention.

"We shouldn't do that," he whispered, and Kaoru looked at him with wide, honest eyes.

"You are mysterious, Kenshin. You are… handsome, and foreign, and you are only here for one night. Would you give a girl – no, a queen, who may never know love – her first kiss?" She giggled softly to alleviate the nerves coursing through her system, smiling up at him. "Don't make me command you."

Kenshin released a breath he had been holding, and Kaoru felt him lean closer. Bolder than she'd ever been, she moved her hand to rest over his, let her eyes fall closed, and waited, breathless, for the touch of his lips.

It never came.

Before she could open her eyes she felt his hand slip from beneath hers and heard his footsteps walking quickly away. She quickly stood from the fountain to see him climbing the steps back into the ballroom – a place she couldn't follow him full of such indecent emotions.

"Kenshin!" she shouted before he reached the doors, but he didn't even turn around.

Her hands clasped together and fell into her lap as she sat abruptly back down on the fountain. By the grace of Heaven alone she managed not to fall in. Tears burned at her eyes as the cold knowledge of rejection coursed through her. She had never made such a proposition before, but in anything she had asked for, she had never been rejected.

She wanted to cry, wanted to break down, wanted to act as Misao had every time Aoshi outright ignored her, but she couldn't. Kaoru was a queen now, and queens were never the pawns of men. But she would sit at the fountain for a few moments more.

Footsteps on the garden pathway disturbed her melancholy, and she shot her gaze up. Perhaps Kenshin had returned!

Soujirou came into view, smiling as always, his eyes twinkling with the light of the garden lamps. But they were nothing compared to the beauty of Kenshin's eyes.

"Your Majesty, I finally found you," he exclaimed happily, reaching out a hand to help her from the fountain.

"Hello, Sir Soujirou," she said softly.

"Call me Soujirou, Your Majesty."

"Then call me Kaoru."

"Would you do me the honor of a dance, Kaoru?" he asked, always with that damned smile, leading her slowly towards the ballroom.

Kaoru spared a quick glance back to the fountain, finding the angels' embrace suddenly filthy and hateful. Her vision blurred for a moment before she turned her gaze back to Soujirou and smiled.

"I would love to."

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The warm glow of dawn filtered in through the curtains to fall across the new queen's face, disturbing her sleep. With a soft murmur of awakening, she twisted in the bed and opened her eyes. Though her room remained the same in décor and furnishings, it suddenly felt bigger and more regal than it ever had.

With a yawn, Kaoru began to sit up and looked out the window at the stirring world. She couldn't remember when she'd gone to bed last night. She remembered dancing with Soujirou until her feet ached and she could hardly breathe, and then she was practically carried to her bed. But before that…

Kenshin.

The thought drove all grogginess from her mind. She remembered the touch of his hand, the glow in his eyes, the warmth of his breath… and the sound of his footsteps as he walked away.

Without thinking, she rose from the bed and slipped a thicker robe over her night garments before stepping out into the hallway. Only a few servants mingled about the palace, but it was too early for them to be making rounds so they all remained on the first floor. She was able to hurry down the hallway to his room without being noticed.

The white oak door stood before her, silent and imposing. With a deep breath, Kaoru pushed it open, preparing her apologies for brazenly interrupting the man's sleep.

But none were needed.

The bed was made, the sheets clean and wrinkle-free. There was no sign of anyone ever having been in the room, save for a scrap of paper lying on the end table beside the bed.

_Thank you for your great kindness and hospitality._

Kaoru held the paper between her fingers, her eyes locked on long after she had finished reading it. The words blurred suddenly, and she felt the telltale warmth of tears behind her eyes. As she tucked the note into the pocket of her robe, she wiped away the tears with her other hand before walking back out into the hallway.

"Your Majesty?" Tsubame asked, standing a few doors down. "Are you all right?" She hurried over with tiny footsteps, concern written over her face.

"I will be," Kaoru answered softly, walking past her back to her bedroom. "It was nothing, after all. Just one night." Tsubame watched her after she had disappeared into her room, puzzled but confined to silence.

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Kaoru made her way down to the court, entering the room just as Gohei grabbed her elbow.

"I don't ever want to see another spectacle like last night again, Your Majesty," he said roughly as he led her to the throne. A few court members began to trickle in, muttering about the echoes of their footsteps in the court room and how it affected their headaches.

"I did what you asked, I danced with Soujirou," she said quickly, pulling her arm away and beginning her ascent. "And if you grab me again I shall call the guards on you."

Gohei cursed beneath his breath and followed her up the stairs to the platform.

"There is unrest in the capital today, Your Majesty. Your coronation last night did upset some; and many report greater conflict in Tokugawa over your inheriting the throne without a husband," he informed her, coming to stand beside her as she sunk into the throne.

"They will soon see that I need no husband to rule this nation," she said, as much to herself as to Gohei, observing the rest of the court fill in. "Let us just begin this session, please, Gohei." He muttered something, but then cleared his throat and stepped up to her side.

"Court is in session," Gohei shouted. Kaoru sat in her marble chair, draped in yellow silk, her hair pulled back in a simple ponytail. Almost all of the court members wavered where they stood, the telltale signs of a long night in their postures and faces. Misao was entirely absent, Kaoru guessing that she was, "ill."

One by one, subjects approached the throne with a variety of problems or solutions, and Kaoru patiently did what she could for all of them. A few simple court cases were put before her, and a budget for the rebuilding of a village destroyed by fire was approved. A few more law enforcers were employed to deal with a bandit problem to the north. Kaoru did nothing radical, and after the excitement of the day before, the court session had so far been rather boring.

Until the loud bells of battle began ringing throughout the castle.

The court froze. Kaoru stopped speaking, and the man kneeling before her halted his activities. For ten years, the bells of battle had been silent, since the end of the Bakumatsu Wars. It couldn't be foreign invaders, since they would have heard of their approach from the border villages long before they reached the capital.

For a horrible few moments, there was nothing but silence and the bells. Perhaps someone was ringing them by accident? Kaoru held her breath.

Shouts and screams finally reached their ears from outside the castle, and the court erupted into chaos.

"It's Jineh! It's a revolt!" someone shouted from the foyer, and then the rebels reached the palace doors.

Members scattered over the marble floor, flinging themselves through whichever doorway they could reach first, some ending right on the end of an enemy's blade. Guards swarmed in to take on the rebels.

Kaoru had stood up from her throne, looking around in terror at her subjects and friends fighting and killing. She looked back but Gohei had disappeared, and Shishio was nowhere to be seen. Megumi ran up to her side.

"Come on, let's go, there's an exit behind the throne," she shouted excitedly, terror filling her face. She tugged urgently on Kaoru's arm, but Kaoru remained still.

"I can't leave them," Kaoru said, gesturing to the chaos on the floor. Most of the court members had escaped alive, as the guards took their place fighting the invaders, but some lay on the floor, clutching bloodied wounds or lying still in death. "These are my people, Megumi. The ones invading the palace are _my_ people!"

"Fine then, die!" Megumi shouted, dropping her arm and running off with a shriek.

The guards were holding off the rebels from the throne, but some were moving closer to her. Gohei had always told her it is always better to hide and survive in such a situation than to fight and die, but Kaoru couldn't leave her people like this.

Then she saw him. Moving through the chaos as though it were a puddle to wade through, Jineh kept his gaze fixated on her as he approached the throne. A grin lit his face, though his eyes remained cold and pierced her like knives.

Jineh had been a troublemaker for years now, after being discharged from the army, but he was always stopped before causing an all-out revolt. He had hated her father's kind politics, and now that she was queen he was making a statement, that he wouldn't stand for it anymore. It seemed he made the mistake of believing she would be easier to take out than her father.

Kaoru reached back and grabbed a sword from behind the throne. She took one last look to confirm that Gohei and Shishio were indeed gone, before she turned back to Jineh, who stood a few feet before the steps to the platform.

"Hello, Your Majesty," he said with his grin growing larger, lifting his sword from his side. "Such a shame you won't be able to enjoy the title for much longer."

Gripping her sword in one hand, she grabbed her gown in the other and cut swiftly through the silk. She couldn't avoid a slight grimace as she felt the expensive silk tear, but now she had room to move. A few guards tried to make their way to her to protect her, but they were quickly stopped by Jineh's men.

"Oh, are you going to try and fight me, Your Majesty?" he said with a loud cackle, lifting his sword into position.

"I won't just try," Kaoru said as she descended the steps. She felt the slickness of sweat between her palms and the hilt of her sword, but now was no time for hesitation.

Without warning, Jineh charged her, swinging his sword with fearsome force towards her. She parried the blow, shocked at the trembling reverberations that shot through her body. Somehow, she managed to keep her ground as Jineh pulled back with a growl.

Before she could completely regain her strength, Jineh was charging again, even faster. Kaoru sidestepped the blow, moving down to the court floor, and tried to swing at Jineh's back as he passed. But Jineh had already turned around towards her in midair, and the tip of his sword grazed her side, ripping through her dress and cutting her flesh. Kaoru gave a cry of pain, stumbling but able to remain standing.

She reached a trembling hand down to examine the wound, and found it small and shallow. Swallowing her pain, she lifted her sword and turned to face Jineh again. She saw him grin at the slight trembling of the blade.

"Had enough, Your Majesty?"

"Not until you stop menacing my people, Jineh."

He laughed and made to charge again. This time, Kaoru was more ready, and parried the blow with greater force, halting his charge. They moved in a circle, exchanging blows, Kaoru grunting with exertion but holding her ground. Jineh's grin never left his face.

"You're not bad for a queen," he said with a laugh.

"You're horrible for a former soldier," she said with a smile of her own, throwing all her weight into a blow that knocked him back a few steps.

Flushed with her small victory, Kaoru prepared to charge herself, running towards him with her best battle cry. But Jineh was ready, dodging the blow and turning to strike a blow against her back. He turned his blade so the flat of it smacked hard against her middle back, knocking her down against the steps and forcing the air from her lungs.

Kaoru lay on her stomach, collapsed on the steps, gasping to regain her breath. Blood trickled from a wound on her head that the steps had cut open, and she looked up over her shoulder at Jineh's slow approach.

"I could have cut you in half just then, but I thought perhaps a beheading would be more appropriate for a queen," he said, raising the blade above his head.

Kaoru pushed her hands beneath her, struggling to rise, but without breath and with her head swimming, she quickly fell back down, defeated.

So this was it. One night as queen, and it was over. Had she been so bad?

Her thoughts were cut off by terror as she saw the blade begin to fall. The song of it cutting through the air, once a melody she dreamed of, now became the soundtrack of a nightmare. She closed her eyes and waited for the end.

A loud jarring note shook the air around her, and a shadow fell over her.

Kaoru opened her eyes, seeing swords crossed above her head, and…

Red hair.

Kenshin.

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**Author's Note: **I'm sad that only one person reviewed the last chapter - thank you to that one person! You guys can tell me what's bad... that's just as good as telling me it's good - makes me a better writer. Some people withhold chapters for reviews but I don't think that's fair to all the quiet readers out in internet-land. I want to hear from you; speak up!

Anyway, I hoped you liked this chapter - next chapter, the drama continues. Will Kenshin's return be brief or permanent?

Next Chapter:

_"I'm afraid my past would only stain this fine palace." _

_"I am not asking your past to stay here; I am asking you."_

The opening line/title chapter is from Celine Dion's "To Love You More"


	5. You Know I'll Be Standing Here Still

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_And you know I'll be standing here still…_

CHAPTER FIVE:

Kenshin pushed his blade forward, throwing Jineh back off the steps.

Kaoru looked up, now breathless from more than Jineh's attack, as she saw Kenshin's gaze alight on her for a moment. She wanted to say something, but he was already turned away to face Jineh.

With as deep a breath as she could manage, Kaoru began to sit up and turn, to watch the fight. In the rest of the room, it seemed the guards were managing to take out Jineh's men, killing or capturing them one by one.

"Oh my, do you look familiar…" Jineh said with a slight laugh. "I thought you were dead. When I heard a Tokugawa man was staying here, I never imagined-"

"Shut up," Kenshin said abruptly, charging towards Jineh with a speed Kaoru didn't think possible. Anything else Jineh might have said was lost in a furious exchange of blades.

Kaoru could barely focus on the two, but not because of her injuries - because of their speed. She heard the clanging of swords coming together, saw two forms moving through the air, but could hardly follow their specific motions. The smaller of the forms, obviously Kenshin, was much faster than the other.

Kenshin scored a hit and pulled back as Jineh fell momentarily to his knees, wiping blood from his lips. Though her arms shook mightily with the effort, Kaoru pushed herself up to stand once again. The side of her yellow gown was soaked with blood.

Jineh ran at Kenshin all of a sudden, with a yell, and Kaoru took an automatic step forward as though to do something, but hands took hold of her arms. A guard, having finished his battle, held her trembling form in place.

Kenshin knocked Jineh back again, and took a strange stance. Kaoru watched, mesmerized, as he crouched and resheathed his sword, facing Jineh, who only grinned.

Then Kenshin was off, running full speed towards Jineh, unsheathing his blade simultaneously. The speed was incredible… god-like.

Miraculously, Jineh dodged the blade, cackling as he did so, but Kenshin continued into a spin. Jineh's laugh was cut off by a sudden scream of pain as Kenshin's sheath slammed into his arm, crunching the bones loudly. He crumpled to the floor.

As Kenshin stepped back and stood, drawing in large breaths, Kaoru suddenly remembered her place and her mind began to work again.

"Arrest him," she said, and a few guards stepped forward and grabbed Kenshin. "No, arrest _Jineh_!" The guards released Kenshin with mumbled apologies, and bent to haul the cursing Jineh into their arms.

Kenshin looked at her intently, before stepping towards her.

"Are you all right, Your Majesty?" he asked, sparing a glance at the guard supporting her. She shook off the guard gently, standing on her own with a slight wince. A few drops of blood fell from her side to the marble floor.

"It's a small wound," she said, looking down at the ruined silk. "Thank you for saving my life. You must be a very powerful warrior." She eyed him carefully, but he was looking at her wound.

"I heard of Jineh's revolt as I reached the edge of town. I…" He looked unsure as he gazed at her, but Kaoru silently urged him on. "With all your kindness, Your Majesty, I felt I had to return and help."

"I told you to call me Kaoru."

Kenshin smiled briefly and stepped a little closer, forgetting himself for the moment.

"Our night of impropriety has come to an end, Your Majesty," he said with an honest smile, before the simple grin slipped back into place.

"If I had my way, it would be a lifetime of impropriety, but Gohei would never go for that," she said with a laugh, before clutching her side in pain. Kenshin stepped forward automatically and placed his hand on her arm.

"You should get medical attention, Your Majesty."

"If you keep calling me that, _you'll_ need medical attention," she said, but she allowed him to steer her towards the guards, who immediately stepped forward to help her. Before Kenshin let her go, she turned to him with pleading eyes. "Don't leave yet… please."

He paused for a moment, swallowing thickly. Then he nodded.

"I won't."

Kaoru almost fell into a guard's grasp, allowing him to half-carry her into another room where a doctor was being called. She had no serious wound, but the pain was so new to her body that she couldn't help but nearly yell with pain as the doctor poked at her wound.

A few moments later, bandaged and salved, Kaoru sat wearily in a makeshift throne of sorts in the foyer, watching the guards and servants pick up the pieces after the battle. Kenshin hesitantly approached her.

"I must admit, Kaoru, that I did not return to stay," he said, almost regretfully.

"Why refuse my generosity? For what my guards did to you, it seems only fitting that you stay as long as you like. Please, use my kindness to your advantage," she said with a smile. His simple grin was firmly in place.

"I'm afraid my past would only stain this fine palace."

"I am not asking your past to stay here; I am asking _you_."

The simple grin slipped from his face for just a moment, revealing a look of surprise, before it returned.

"I thank you, but I would not abuse your kindness," he said politely, stepping back from her.

"If you won't stay as a guest, how about as a teacher?" At his puzzled look, she smiled. "I should have been able to beat Jineh, but I have never faced an opponent who doesn't let me win. I fear I may never find an honest teacher, who will truly improve my swordsmanship. You are a fearsome warrior-"

"I apologize, Kaoru, but I will not teach my swordsmanship to anyone." Though his grin remained, his eyes were hardened and mysterious to her.

"Well then, don't teach me your style, but practice with me. As a true warrior."

Kenshin said nothing, his eyes on the floor. Kaoru waited for a few moments for his reply, but none was forthcoming. She feared yet another rejection. And for some reason she didn't examine, she couldn't let him leave again.

"Would you want me to die, Kenshin?"

This time the grin fell off and stayed off, and Kenshin looked at her with his intense eyes nearly burning into hers.

"No, I would not."

"Then stay, and teach me to defend myself," she asked, trying not to sound too pleading. "And then you may continue your wandering." Kenshin watched her, his expression unreadable, before he smiled again. The hustle and bustle of people in the background slowly returned, and he bowed deeply to her before rising to face her.

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

Kaoru glared at him.

"I mean, ah, Kaoru."

She smiled, as did he. Their eyes locked into each other, as they always had and always would, but before she could get too lost in it, Misao came running up.

"Oh my goodness, Kaoru, I heard you were injured fighting with Jineh! What was it like? Aoshi was so glad I had stayed in the room – but I've always wanted to battle wild rebels! I bet it was so frightening, and exhilarating, and-"

"Misao, please," Kaoru said with a deep sigh, grabbing one of her friend's waving hands and holding it tightly. "I have an awful headache."

Misao sat down beside her and continued her chatter more quietly. Kaoru looked up to where Kenshin had been standing, but he was gone. A quiver of pain shot through her, but she pushed it away.

She would just have to trust that he was still here.

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"I heard a nasty little rumor, Your Majesty," Shishio said as he eased up beside the makeshift throne a few moments later, after Misao had left to check on Aoshi. "I heard the Tokugawa man is staying for longer than originally discussed."

Kaoru whipped her head around, feeling a sudden dizziness from her head injury. She fixed the coldest glare she could muster on the pristinely clean general standing beside her. Meeting her gaze, he simply grinned.

"Where were you this afternoon, Shishio? You're supposed to be here to help protect the court!"

"It sounds like you found someone to protect you very well, Your Majesty."

"That is not the point!" She rose from her seat slowly, careful of her wound, though it was feeling better already. "You and Gohei suddenly disappear as soon as the bells of battle ring – I don't think that's how it's supposed to work."

"If you must know, we were directing forces around to surround the rebels, cutting off their retreat. We essentially stopped this problem from recurring – escaped rebels will strike again, Your Majesty," Shishio replied.

"Why did they strike this time?" Kaoru asked herself wearily, though Shishio heard.

"Perhaps because of your… guest. Rumors spread quickly in this city, Your Majesty, and it did not ease the already troubled minds of the people to learn of a Tokugawan staying in their own castle."

"Don't blame this on him; whatever grudges you've got against the man, forget it. He's done nothing wrong – he can't help where he was born."

"But he can help where he sleeps," Shishio answered, walking away.

"This isn't over, Shishio!" Kaoru shouted after him, but he was already gone. She sank back into the chair with a sigh.

"Having trouble with your general, Kaoru?"

Dressed in the same gown she had worn at court, a simple yet elegant blue dress, Megumi sauntered up to Kaoru with that subtle knife of a smile on her face. Her eyes danced with amusement, as her long straight hair fluttered about her shoulders.

"Everything is fine," Kaoru muttered in response.

"I hear our friend is staying longer than he planned," Megumi said, her smile growing wider. She looked like a fox eyeing the subject of a nasty prank before it hit. "I never took you for one to like a foreigner, but I can't say I don't approve. I will love the chance to get to know him better. He was so friendly last night at the ball; if I didn't have any dignity, I might have allowed him to have what he so obviously wanted from me."

Kaoru inwardly grimaced at the thought, but it struck a painful realization in her. Perhaps Kenshin walked away from her because she was no beauty compared to Megumi. She hadn't seen him the rest of the night, nor had she seen Megumi. She swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth and raised her eyes to Megumi's cold, laughing ones.

"If you aren't careful, Megumi, you'll bring disgrace to this family."

"Like you already have?"

"What are you talking about?" Kaoru wasn't in the mood for Megumi's games, but she let herself fall into the fox's trap.

"Letting a Tokugawan stay in the castle; dancing with him… _intimately_ at the coronation ball; cavorting with him in the garden?" Megumi licked her lips quickly and smiled. "Disgraceful behavior, dear cousin."

Kaoru couldn't help the blush that flooded her cheeks, but she refused to look down and hide it. She stared Megumi right in the face.

"Being kind to a foreigner, a wrongfully accused man in a strange country, is not disgraceful. You danced with every unattached man there, Megumi – and some attached ones." Kaoru had risen from the throne, taking a step so she was inches from Megumi's face. Rage flickered in Megumi's eyes, but remained contained within them. Then she pulled away and laughed.

"I can't help it that every man wants to dance with me, Kaoru. When you stop acting like a foolish, lovesick child, perhaps they'll want to dance with you as well," Megumi said in her haughty tone before turning and walking away.

Kaoru felt restless with anger and frustration, full of angry thoughts towards Megumi and Shishio. She was no child – and she certainly wasn't lovesick.

Gohei approached her through the remaining chaos in the foyer, her abandoned tiara clutched in his hand. It must have fallen in the fight. She snatched it from his hand and glared at him as he opened his mouth.

"I don't want to hear a word, Gohei. I am going to rest from my injuries," she said in an exasperated tone, already taking the first few steps. By the time she reached her bed, she ached for the warm silence of the sheets. She was asleep in moments.

She dreamt of sword fights and saviors with red hair.

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Sanosuke took a deep breath and surveyed the foyer carefully. It took only a few moments to spot his charge, the only red head amongst a sea of dark-haired Meijians. No wonder he couldn't hide his heritage; it was hanging all over his head.

"Yo, Kenshin?" he asked as he neared the man, who turned to look at him.

"Yes, I am Kenshin."

"Yeah, I figured. I am Sanosuke, but call me Sano." Sano held out his hand, which Kenshin shook hesitantly. "The servants are busy cleaning up after the battle. I've been sent to take you to your new room."

"You are… a guard?"

"Yes, the best they've got – they just don't appreciate me," Sano said with a cocky grin, walking towards the staircase. Kenshin remained where he stood. "Come on, follow me." Perhaps Tokugawans were idiots.

Kenshin followed him with small steps, while Sano moved lankily up the stairs. He had shed the heavy armor of duty and stood in simple white clothing, though a tattoo scribbled on the back of his neck stood out sharply in contrast. His brown hair was pulled up in a red bandana, and he moved with casual grace, the mark of a warrior.

He stopped in front of the room Kenshin had occupied before, and opened the door.

"Is this going to be fine for however long you'll be here?"

"This is more than fine – too much, in fact," Kenshin replied softly, but he moved into the room. Sano stood in the doorway, watching the man look at the paintings on the wall and the satin bedspread.

"Better than anywhere I'll ever be staying," Sano said with a low whistle, bringing Kenshin's attention back to him.

"I wish they weren't so kind to me. I don't deserve it."

"Hell if I know what the queen's deal is, but her word just became law around here, so… looks like you're stuck here," Sano said, turning to leave.

"You don't like me," Kenshin said, no questioning tone in his voice. Sano halted with a sigh and turned around.

"Look, I know it's stupid, but you're from Tokugawa. I didn't really fight in the wars, but my dad died in them… it wasn't you, I know, but-"

"No need to explain," Kenshin cut in, before bowing deeply. "I apologize deeply for the loss of your father at my … people's hands."

Sano laughed nervously, holding up his hands.

"It wasn't you, man, so I-"

"But it was my people. I do not deserve your kindness." Kenshin's stare was difficult to decipher, his eyes hard and soft all at once.

Sano sighed deeply, internally rolling his eyes and stepping into the room.

"I don't know the queen very well, just seen what she does on the throne and shit, but I think she's got the right idea. We were allies with Tokugawa before, and we should be again. This hatred over a war we technically started is… stupid." Sano stopped just in front of Kenshin and held out his hand again.

"You don't have to-"

"Just shake the damn hand, Kenshin."

Kenshin held out his hand, and Sano shook it forcefully, but warmly. A smile lit up his whole face.

"I saw what you did with Jineh – incredible, man. I'll have to fight you sometime," Sano said with a laugh as he walked out of the room. He stopped at the doorway.

"Oh yeah, Kenshin, I forgot – you're dining with the royal family tonight."

Then Sano disappeared out the door.

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**Author's Notes: **Hi everyone! Thank you so much to the reviewers out there! I love hearing what you think. I know Kaoru isn't portrayed as very strong in the manga/anime, but I want to show her as a strong swordswoman. Obviously, she's no Kenshin, but she isn't really given a chance to show off in the canon so she's getting one here. And with Kenshin's teaching... something tells me that won't go over well with Gohei. :)

Next Chapter:

_Kaoru moved further into the room, seeing that the sheets were mussed, and looked to the bathroom to see if any light indicated he was there. _

_Then she felt cold steel against her neck._

The opening line/chapter title was from Celine Dion's "To Love You More"


	6. You Were My Strength When I Was Weak

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_You were my strength when I was weak…_

CHAPTER SIX:

The grandfather clock in the dining room struck six, with loud chimes nearly shaking the room. As if on cue, the servants opened the door and Kaoru walked into the room, dressed in a simple cream gown. The only sign of her earlier battle was the small bandage on her forehead, and the slight stiffness in her walk.

Kenshin sat on one side of the table, his shoulders straight and his eyes focused on her. Kaoru smiled at him and took her seat.

"Thank you for joining us, Kenshin," she said.

"Thank you for inviting me, Your Majesty," Kenshin replied with his simple grin.

Megumi, sitting on the other side of the table, gave Kenshin a lascivious look that only Kaoru noticed. Her hands clenched on the arms of her chair, but she said nothing. If Megumi wanted to go after the foreigner, she could.

Gohei, who sat down at the other head of the table, watched Kenshin with narrowed eyes.

Dinner was placed before them, a royal feast for the four of them, the makeshift royal family. Though Kaoru and Megumi were the only remaining members of the royal family, Gohei was included out of respect. And of course, Kenshin was a guest.

For most of the meal, they ate in silence. Gohei watched everyone with angry eyes, while Kaoru alternated her glance between Megumi and Kenshin. Kenshin simply ate with a pleasant look on his face.

"I have not tasted such delicious food in some time, that I haven't," he said near the end of the meal, breaking the unspoken code of silence.

"Well, you know, Sir Ken, we have the finest cooks in the land here at the palace," Megumi said with a smile. Everyone at the table stared at her. "Oh, you don't mind if I call you that, do you?"

"You may call me whatever you wish, my lady," Kenshin replied, though his grin was more fake than ever. Kaoru snorted slightly at the term, "lady." Megumi glared at her.

They finished the rest of the meal in silence, and when the servants had cleared away the last of dessert, they sat in a slightly uncomfortable limbo between awkward and satisfied quiet.

"Kenshin," Gohei suddenly said, drawing the room's attention, "I have been wondering… what brings a Tokugawa man to the capital of Meiji?"

"Gohei!" Kaoru scolded him, but Kenshin simply smiled.

"I just found myself here as I wandered. I follow the roads as I go, and most roads in Meiji lead, eventually, to the capital," Kenshin replied pleasantly.

"Ah, but what brings you to Meiji? Why did you leave Tokugawa?" Gohei spoke with a smile, but his eyes were feral as they fixated on Kenshin.

"It is no longer my home," Kenshin answered, before the smile drifted off his face and his eyes were lost in memories.

"But wh-"

"Gohei that is enough!" Kaoru said forcefully as she stood from the table. All eyes turned to her. "You should not be so rude as to interrogate our guest at the dinner table – or at all. I demand you treat him with some respect."

Gohei muttered something beneath his breath, but nodded to show his obedience.

"Again, Kenshin, I apologize for this behavior."

"There is no need, Your Majesty."

Kaoru fixed him with a teasing glare, as though to scold him for not calling her by her name, but Kenshin only smiled and darted his eyes quickly to Gohei. Kaoru understood. Gohei would not take well to hearing Kenshin call her, "Kaoru," so casually.

"Well, let us adjourn for the evening," Kaoru said as servants rushed to pull back her chair and she moved around the edge of the table.

Megumi had already slipped out the door, murmuring words about a previous engagement.

As Gohei spoke to a few of the servants, giving orders or something, Kaoru slowly approached Kenshin as he rose from his chair. He turned to her with a surprised smile.

"Can I help you, Your Majesty?"

"I think you can, Kenshin. I would like my first defense lesson."

The smile dropped off his face, and his eyes swept up and down her frame. They landed on the bandage on her forehead. Self consciously, Kaoru tilted her head so her bangs covered the wound.

"But you are injured, Your Majesty," he said, a note of concern threaded through his words.

"Oh, it is nothing. They are wasting bandages on me – Jineh barely cut me."

Kenshin's eyes hardened perceptibly, but Kaoru stared him down.

"I want my lesson, Kenshin," she said while fighting back a smile, though it was difficult to keep a straight face.

"What lesson?" a deep voice said suddenly from behind her and Kaoru turned to see Gohei standing behind her. He looked down at her with censure in his eyes, having come around the table to sneak up on her.

"Kenshin is going to help me improve my swordsmanship," Kaoru said matter-of-factly, but Gohei's face darkened further.

"A queen does not practice swordsmanship," he said sternly.

"I've been practicing swordsmanship my whole life, Gohei, I'm not going to stop now."

Kenshin watched the exchange silently, though his eyes remained fixed on Gohei and his whole body tensed slightly. Kaoru could feel a strange aura coming from him, but focused on the behemoth of an advisor staring her down.

"As your advisor, I cannot allow you to disgrace the throne in such a manner, Your Majesty. Swordsmanship is not fit for a queen, and never will be."

"I thought we talked about this 'allowing' business."

"You may leave us, Kenshin, and thank you for joining us this evening," Gohei said as though rehearsing lines from a play. Kaoru turned to see Kenshin bowing and then shuffling towards the door. She turned back to Gohei with an indignant shriek.

"How dare you dismiss my guest like that!?"

"If you were not my queen, _Your Majesty_, I would shake you right now to perhaps rattle some sense into your brain. Your behavior is horrifying – especially so soon after a revolt!"

"I am devastated by the revolt this afternoon, but I will not allow it to stop my life and I won't be rude to my guest because of it." Kaoru was shaking, willing herself to not turn red with anger, as it would dramatically decrease her bargaining power.

"Ah yes, your 'guest.' I am appalled at your brazen flirtation with the man. If your people should see you-"

"'Flirtation'!? I am being kind to a man you have done nothing but abuse and interrogate since he arrived – all because of where he was born. He stumbled into the wrong place at the wrong time, and you're treating him like a criminal!"

"He _is_ a criminal!" Gohei shouted, now just as red as she. The servants had fled the dining room, leaving the two to their undignified screaming match. In the back of her mind, Kaoru realized the whole palace could probably hear them, but she was too blinded by anger to stop. "His people murdered our people and burned our villages."

"All because of a war _we_ started!"

"A war that was necessary – they were stealing our resources, they were-"

"Enough!" Kaoru shouted suddenly, feeling the adrenaline of anger drain out of her body to be replaced by fatigue. "I am your queen, Gohei, and you have no right to speak to me in this way. If I could fire you, I would, but as I cannot I will at least remind you that you are my _advisor_, and that is all. Not my father, not my husband, and certainly not my King!"

Kaoru stormed out of the room, leaving Gohei alone to fume, and began climbing the stairs. Tsubame ran to meet her at the top.

"Start my bath!" Kaoru shouted harshly. Tsubame squeaked and ran off to the royal bath. With a sigh, she realized she had been too hard on the girl and walked off, defeated, towards her bath.

She needed to hold a sword.

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Silence had seized the castle, as sleep took hold of its inhabitants. Except for one.

Dressed in her hidden swordsman gear, Kaoru peered out into the empty hallway. Slowly, she walked out onto the carpet, looking around as she went, waiting for a guard or a servant or worse, Gohei, to seize her… but no one did.

Avoiding known weak spots on the way, she moved down the hall to a certain bedroom. If anyone caught her there, she would have disgraced the throne and her family for eternity. But that did not stop her.

She reached the bedroom door.

Without knocking, knowing what light sleepers some of the guards were, Kaoru opened the door and stepped into the room.

The bed was empty.

Kaoru moved further into the room, seeing that the sheets were mussed, and looked to the bathroom to see if any light indicated he was there.

Then she felt cold steel against her neck.

"Who are you?" a low voice asked, and Kaoru turned slowly with her hands up to see its owner. It was Kenshin, his sword drawn, his face confused. "Kaoru?"

"I'm, uh, sorry to disturb you, Kenshin, but I…"

Kenshin watched her cautiously, his face unsmiling. It changed his entire face, from pleasantly good-looking to fiercely handsome. Kaoru was thrown off for a moment, but seeing Kenshin's eyes move briefly over her form reminded her why she was here.

"I came for my lesson."

"What?" Kenshin stumbled for a moment, not physically but mentally, though he moved not at all. "You can't be… serious."

"I am. I know it's strange, but Gohei will never allow me to practice in daylight," she said, looking up at him with pleading eyes. "You are here to teach me. This is the only time."

"I… can't, Your Majesty – you're injured, it's the middle of the night…" He trailed off, looking down at the floor.

"First off, don't call me, 'Your Majesty,' unless we're in public," Kaoru said, forcing him to look back up at her with the tone of her voice. "Secondly, I'm not injured – it's a scrape, nothing more. And lastly, I am the queen and you must do as I tell you – and I'm telling you to give me my lesson."

Kaoru could see the wheels turning in Kenshin's head, just for a moment. Then he smiled suddenly, but not the simple grin she knew.

"You are not _my_ queen; I am not bound to do anything you order me to," he said in a low voice that sent foreign shivers up her spine. She tried not to let herself quiver at the sensation, but her fingers twitched anyway.

"Then do it for me… as a friend."

"A friend? You have only known me two days, and we have spent little time together."

"I have spent enough time to know you are a good person, Kenshin," Kaoru said, speaking again as she saw the protest building in his eyes. "And I do want to apologize about my forward behavior in the garden. I was… well, it was the night-"

"Say nothing more," he said quietly, touching a finger to her lip quickly before pulling it away as though it were burnt by the tender flesh. He grabbed hold of his sword, which lay against the wall beside the bed, and opened the door. Kaoru understood him immediately, and followed him out the door.

As he made to leave the palace, Kaoru placed her hand on his arm.

"We'll go to the dojo; it's connected to the back of the palace." She led him through dark hallways and through servants' quarters until they reached a small hallway leading to a traditional dojo.

"You should probably grab a wooden sword, since I know your katana would immediately cut through-"

"It isn't a katana."

Kaoru watched, curious, as Kenshin slowly pulled the blade from its sheath. At a simple glance, or in the fury of battle, it appeared as a normal sword. But it wasn't.

"The blade is on the wrong side!" Kaoru exclaimed, leaning forward to examine it. The side of the blade that should have been sharp was in fact dulled, while the other side was very sharp. She ran her finger down the blunt edge, pulling it back and finding it intact. "What kind of sword is this?"

"It is a reverse-bladed sword; I can use it like a katana, but it won't kill anyone," Kenshin said matter-of-factly, resheathing the blade. "However, it might break a wooden sword. I will borrow one of them to spar with you; though, I'm not much good with a wooden sword."

"But why do you carry such a sword?" Kaoru asked, but rethought her question as she saw Kenshin's face. "Never mind… well, you're amazing with your sword, so I'm sure you're good enough with a wooden sword."

They both grabbed wooden swords from the rack and chose an end of the dojo. Kaoru took a simple stance, and Kenshin copied her movement.

"What was that move you did against Jineh? When you unsheathed your sword in the attack?"

"It's battoujutsu – but I won't teach my style to anyone," he said softly.

"That's alright. But you promise to spar with me like a true opponent – don't let me win!"

"I don't know if I can, with your injuries…" Kenshin watched her as she rolled her eyes.

"Look!" She ripped off the bandage on her forehead, revealing a tiny cut over a bump. "See, it's nothing. And my side – just a scrape, as I said earlier." Freezing her face, she slammed her palm into her side. It did hurt, but not so much that it showed on her face. With Kenshin's nature, he could be gone tomorrow. She was going to take full advantage of the time she had. She didn't even mention the bruise on her back.

"Alright, let's begin," Kenshin said.

Kaoru took a deep breath, and then charged at him. Their swords met in a jarring impact, but Kaoru held her ground. They pulled back, moved, and swung again – wood splintered against wood again. Kaoru took a few steps back, already breathing heavier, but Kenshin was cool and calm.

"What style do you practice?" he asked suddenly, stilling his movements. Kaoru sighed and stopped also.

"My father's style – Kamiya Kasshin. The sword that protects life," Kaoru said proudly, fighting from letting the soreness in her back show on her face. "I try never to use a real sword. I would never kill."

"You used a sword today, against Jineh."

"It was all I had in the moment," she answered, somewhat snapping. "A ceremonial sword hanging behind the throne."

"Ah, I see," Kenshin said. "Well, swordsmanship is the art of killing. Your philosophy is a beautiful dream, but just that – a dream."

"Hey! I won't allow you to insult my father's style!" Kaoru shouted, readying her wooden sword and charging at him.

Kenshin wasn't prepared, and her sudden charge knocked him off balance. He had been able to lift his sword to block the stroke, but not enough time to put his weight behind it. They tumbled to the floor, Kaoru pinning him to the ground.

Their faces were close again, and Kaoru thought immediately of the near-kiss in the garden. Blushing profusely, she pulled away and stood up.

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have attacked you like that," she muttered as Kenshin rose from the floor.

"No, no, don't apologize. Passion is what it takes to win." He paused, looking down at his feet. "But passion can be a dangerous thing." Kaoru watched him as his gaze drifted up to hers. They stared at each other for a moment, before Kenshin's simple grin fell back into place. "And if it is any consolation, I much prefer your father's dream to reality."

"Thank you," she said quietly, pausing for a moment before backing away and lifting her sword. "Let's keep practicing!"

The dojo was filled with sound of wood splintering throughout the night, until servants moving in the castle disturbed their practice. As quiet as they could manage, they snuck back to their rooms.

"Thank you, Kenshin," Kaoru whispered to him as they separated in the hall. He smiled, but said nothing. Then he disappeared down the hall.

Kaoru fell asleep, her body sore but her mind content.

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**Author's Note: **Hi! Thank you to all the reviewers out there! Things are heating up - Kenshin's here to stay... for now; and you know that means trouble!

Next chapter:

_Finally, Kaoru broke the quiet. _

_"Why didn't you kiss me?"_

The opening line/chapter title is from Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me"


	7. I Just Might Give My Heart

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_I just might give my heart…_

CHAPTER SEVEN:

Stifling her yawns with the long sleeves of her blue silk gown, Kaoru wearily climbed the steps to her throne. She was several moments early for court, but had just woken up and did not want to acknowledge missing breakfast. She would claim to be early rather than late.

Thinking she would have the court room to herself for a few moments, she slouched in her throne and let her body feel its wounds. The bump on her head was diminished to a faint bruise, and the scratch on her side was a scabbed nuisance, nothing more. The bruise on her back, however, which stretched across her spine from Jineh's blade, was more troublesome. Whenever anything touched it, her entire body screamed in protest.

The practice session with Kenshin the night before had done nothing but aggravate her wounds further.

But it was worth it.

"Kaoru?"

Kaoru opened her eyes slowly, settling on the girl moving excitedly towards the throne. Misao's hair was, as usual, swinging in a long braid down her back, and she wore a jade green gown to accent her beautiful eyes. She had no idea – and never would – what a vision she made.

"Good morning, Misao," Kaoru said, sliding up from her slouch. Misao came and sat beside her on the platform.

"You look very tired; are you still hurt from yesterday?"

"Was it only yesterday that the palace was invaded?" Kaoru asked as much to herself as to Misao, but at Misao's puzzled look she gave a deep sigh. "I was up quite late last night… with Kenshin."

"WHAT!?" Misao shrieked, before covering her mouth and staring at Kaoru with huge eyes.

"No, no, Misao – I was up practicing swordsmanship; he is to be my new teacher, but Gohei won't allow it, so we snuck to the dojo late last night," Kaoru said, unable to keep the small smile from her face. "It was amazing, Misao. I've never faced such an opponent – and I know he was holding back! He must be famous, though I've never heard of him…"

Misao had faded into a rare silence, staring off through the windows of the court room, into the gardens.

"You must be careful, Kaoru," she said in a soft voice. She wasn't acting at all like herself.

"Misao… are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Misao said, though her voice remained flat. "I just think… I know you don't see Kenshin as a 'Tokugawan' but as a man, which is a good thing, really… but the rest of this kingdom doesn't." She took a deep breath and looked up at Kaoru. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"Why would I get hurt?"

"Come on, Kaoru, you're not this stupid," Misao said, standing to face her.

"Oh Misao, not you too. I've heard enough from Gohei," Kaoru said, almost laughing. "He's not some plague that's going to kill me or this kingdom… he's just a man, a kind man, who I…"

"Don't finish that sentence," Misao ordered, her face completely serious. For once she wasn't bouncing or yelling, and Kaoru had no idea how to handle it.

"You're supposed to be my friend, Misao, _not_ my advisor," Kaoru said, suddenly angry.

Misao transformed, in a moment, the seriousness gone, replaced by a carefree smile.

"I am your friend, Kaoru, forever. And I'm happy for you – Kenshin is really nice and very cute. If I weren't married…" she said, giggling.

"Misao," a deep voice said from behind them, and they turned to see Aoshi standing there. Misao flew down the steps and towards him, though she stopped just in front of him. His eyes melted as he looked down at her, watching her gently take his hand.

"Oh yes, court will begin soon," Kaoru muttered to herself as her friends took their places. She straightened her back and sat high in the chair, her mind pushing away Misao's words.

Gohei walked into the room, keeping his eyes on everything but Kaoru. He came to stand beside her without saying a word. Kaoru was happy for the silence.

The room filled with court members, and they conversed quietly with each other as they waited for the session to begin.

And then Kenshin walked in.

His long red hair was pulled to the back of his neck, and he was dressed in a fine suit. As he walked into the room, he smiled pleasantly and took a place at the back of the room. Everyone's eyes watched him carefully.

His gaze fell on Kaoru for a moment, but it quickly pulled away to scan the room.

In that one moment, Kaoru felt her entire body melt into heat and then cool to ice as he looked away. She swallowed thickly then looked down at her hands as they twisted in her lap.

"What are you doing here, Tokugawa?" a male voice said from the midst of the crowd, breaking the silence.

"Only court members are allowed in here during a session!" another voice shouted.

"Why don't you go back to where you came from?"

"Enough!" Kaoru shouted suddenly, ending the sudden barrage of abuse. Kenshin had never stopped smiling, but he had slowly moved towards the door. Now he froze and watched Kaoru step to the edge of the platform. "He is our guest here, and he may go where he wishes. I don't want to see anyone harassing this man in any way. Treat him with the respect you would desire from others in another country."

No one spoke.

Misao gripped Aoshi's hand, her eyes darting between Kaoru and Kenshin. Gohei bristled with contained anger, but remained silent. The rest of the court watched Kaoru curiously.

"Let us begin the session, Gohei," Kaoru muttered under her breath as she sat back down. She hardly heard Gohei shout to begin the session.

Kenshin stood, stiff and uncomfortable, at the back of the room. Every so often, a glance would fall his way, but for the most part his presence was forgotten.

The rest of the court session went smoothly, boring as usual. But the members of the court would not soon forget Kaoru's defense of the Tokugawa man.

No one would.

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The palace was silent.

After the dining room had been cleared, and the servants finishing their work for the day, the palace lay empty and sleeping. Yet the queen could not sleep.

Still wearing her day gown, Kaoru moved through the foyer with small, aimless steps. It wasn't so late that it was indecent for her to be walking around, but she still had to turn down many offers for an escort. She needed to think.

Gohei, Shishio, even Misao… all so afraid of Kenshin. Maybe not so afraid of _him_, but afraid of _them_. But what was 'them'? They had a swordsmanship lesson, she defended him in court – did that constitute a relationship?

And what was wrong with a relationship?

Kaoru sighed and found herself moving through a hallway. She didn't stop. She had grown up in the castle, knew it from top to bottom, knew all of its secrets. There was no danger here.

Kenshin was different than any man she'd ever met. He wasn't rude, but he didn't just submit to her. Since he'd arrived, all he'd done was say 'no' to her until she convinced him otherwise. He wasn't intimidated by her royalty, or her strength. In fact, he simply accepted who she was, and never tried to change her. Part of that was that he didn't know her – how could he change her? But there was no censure in his voice, in his eyes, like there was with everyone else.

A loud battle cry disturbed Kaoru's contemplations, and she stopped her wandering. Someone was in the dojo.

It was too late for the guards to be practicing; perhaps a rogue guard was up late, putting in extra time?

As quiet as she could manage, Kaoru slid open the door.

She had never seen anything like it.

Kenshin, with his back to her and his shirt removed, danced over the floor with his reverse-bladed sword in hand. Sweat gleamed off his taut muscles, and his hair fell in wild strands over his back, barely constrained by a small tie. His battle cries as he moved were rough and masculine. Kaoru could just envision his face, strained with effort, his full warrior mask in place.

In one spectacular move, he rotated on the floor and turned towards the door.

He froze, breathing heavily, eyes focused on her. Kaoru felt her breath come short on its own, as though matching his.

"I-I'm sorry for intruding."

"No need to apologize, Your Majesty," Kenshin said, letting the point of his sword fall to the floor, though the hilt remained in his hand. "I should have asked if I could use the dojo; I just wanted to prac-"

"You may use it any time you wish," she said as she stepped into the dojo. She slid the door closed behind her. For a second, there was only the sound of Kenshin's breathing. "You know… you were _really_ holding back, with me… even with Jineh. You could have killed him… killed me, even with a wooden sword."

Kenshin stepped forward, as though drawn by a rope towards her.

"I would never hurt you," he said softly, the grin nowhere to be found. His face was entirely serious as he looked at her. Kaoru hoped it would stay that way, at least for now.

"I know… I trust you."

Now they were just a few feet apart, alone in the large room. Kenshin's breath had returned, and they were left in silence. But their eyes spoke enough words for the both of them.

Finally, Kaoru broke the quiet.

"Why didn't you kiss me?"

Kenshin severed their eye contact, letting his gaze fall to the floor. Slowly, he resheathed his sword.

"I never should have… it was wrong to lead you on that way, Kaoru. I…" He sighed.

"You don't find me attractive," Kaoru answered for him, turning to look at one of the walls. "I understand."

"No, you are… beautiful. But I-" He had reclaimed her gaze, and she stared at him intently. "I'm not the man you think I am. I don't know why you would want to… You shouldn't want to…"

"I may not know the names of your parents, or how exactly you got here, but I don't care. I can see who you are in your eyes, in the way you speak to me and others, in the type of sword you carry… and that's enough for me," Kaoru answered, taking the step forward so that they were close enough to touch. "It's enough for me to want to… kiss you."

"You wanted to kiss me when I was just staying the night. And now I am staying for longer."

Kaoru made sure he looked into her eyes, staring back at him so intensely she felt her heart beat faster and her breath quicken. He didn't break the gaze.

"I still want you to kiss me," she whispered, inching closer.

"You know this shouldn't happen, Kaoru," he said in a deep voice she didn't remember him having before. His eyes were paler, in the strangest way, as though he were staring into the sun.

"That's what everybody says. Too bad I never listen."

Suddenly, letting go of all propriety, all common sense, all dignity, Kaoru seized Kenshin by the shoulders and pulled him to her, pressing her lips against his.

It was clumsy at first, simply for her inexperience, but she kept her lips firmly against his, if slightly off center. Though his back was stiff and his arms hanging at his side, he tilted his head and guided their lips into the right positions.

Kaoru's thoughts exploded into mush, as she felt the tender skin of Kenshin's lips against hers, finer than any silk. Her palms curled around his shoulders, which were still clammy with sweat. She could feel the point of his nose press into her cheek, could feel the hardness of his jaw against hers through their connected lips, could feel the heat flowing between their bodies.

It was the most intimate moment of her life.

All of a sudden, reality flooded back into her mind, ruining her bliss, and she pulled her lips away from his. He was staring at her with the most heated gaze she'd ever felt from a person, and the blush that filled her face felt like a flood of fire over her skin.

She threw her hand over her mouth, and fled from the room.

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Gohei stalked through the castle, making his last rounds to check on the servants before heading to sleep. Things seemed to be in order, and he sighed to himself. He needed rest, with all the stress his young ward's constant public spectacles caused him.

Then he saw a flash of red hair in the foyer.

Moving towards the staircase from a side stairwell, was Kenshin. Gohei fixed him with a glare, and then instinctively moved towards him.

"Good evening, Kenshin," he said in a fake warm voice, giving him a large smile. Kenshin returned it with a pleasant grin.

"Good evening, Gohei."

"I trust you are enjoying yourself in the palace," Gohei said with an edge to his voice.

"Oh, I am enjoying it very much, that I am. I must thank you for your incredible kindness in allowing me to stay here."

"Yes, well, the queen is very open minded and friendly," Gohei said, and then his smile faded. "Indecently so, in fact."

Kenshin's look faltered for a moment, but soon the grin was back in place.

"It is not my place to say, but I find her to be a rare find in this modern world – so kind for someone so young," Kenshin replied.

"Yes, she is young, isn't she?" Gohei smiled, his eyes like a pair of knives. "By the way, Kenshin, I don't believe I've ever heard your age."

"I find age is not a polite conversation topic. Don't you?" Kenshin matched Gohei's knives with a pair of swords. But his smile remained.

"I suppose," Gohei grumbled. "Well, I'm glad to see you are enjoying your time here. Perhaps you will pleasure us with your company at least until a wedding takes place in the palace?"

"A wedding?"

"Oh yes, the queen is searching for a suitor to marry as we speak. This kingdom needs a proper King; I'm sure, coming from Tokugawa, you appreciate a strong ruler. Their King is quite powerful, or so I've heard. Have you learned anything more about their search for an heir?" Gohei watched him carefully.

"I'm afraid I have not, though I will say I hope it does not come to civil war."

"Ever since they lost their prince… such a shame. I also hope it does not come to war," Gohei said, though with his tone he contradicted every word he had said. "And I hope our queen does not bring _this_ country to war by her youth and… _kindness_, don't you?"

With that, Gohei walked back up the stairs, without looking back.

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**Author's Notes: **Hello everyone! Thank you once again to my lovely reviewers - I appreciate every word. So, we have the first kiss! Hope you enjoyed it. It's bound to have consequences... and now the story really gets going.

Next chapter:

_"Last night… was a mistake."_

The opening line/chapter title is from Celine Dion's "If You Asked Me To"


	8. And Love's So Distant and Obscure

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_And love's so distant and obscure…_

CHAPTER EIGHT:

Her mind lost in the events of the night before, Kaoru meandered down the staircase on her way to the court session. She wore a little extra make-up today, and an extra set of jewels, so that the light of the chandeliers lit her up like a candelabra.

When she saw Kenshin at the bottom of the stairs, even her extra make-up could not hide the blush spreading across her cheeks.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," he said pleasantly, smiling up at her. But it was just the simple smile, and his eyes were veiled with false emotion.

"Good morning, Kenshin," Kaoru said with a smile too big for her face, almost sheepish as she stopped in front of him. She was acting like a child! Lovesick… just like Megumi had said. Despite every hesitation of those around her, she didn't care. Yes, she was lovesick.

"May I speak to you for a moment?" he said, stepping towards a side hallway. Kaoru nodded and followed him, biting her lip with eagerness. Was he going to kiss her? Should she kiss him again?

Soon they were in a desolate hallway, turned towards each other, only a foot apart. Kaoru smiled up at him, her face reddened by her blushing. Her fingers trembled lightly, as sweat filled the lines of her palm.

"Kaoru, I…"

"Yes?" she asked him in a dramatic whisper she hadn't intended, but she was nearly breathless with anticipation. In all her eighteen years, she had never felt this way before.

"Last night… was a mistake."

Kaoru waited for him to continue. She waited for him to say it was a mistake that he didn't follow her out of the room, that he didn't really kiss her back, that he hadn't asked for her hand right there…

"There can be no relationship between us," he continued softly, his eyes never meeting hers.

Kaoru drew in a shuddering breath.

"What?" she whispered.

"I'm sorry… I'm older, I should have known… It's my fault."

After another moment of stunned silence, Kaoru heard him walk away. His footsteps reminded her again of the night in the garden. And again, she was rejected.

Was she imagining the way he looked at her? Imagining the things he said? Was she the only one who felt electricity in her veins when they touched?

Out in the foyer, she could hear the members of the court assembling for the session. She closed her eyes tightly, fighting back the warmth in her eyes, and drew in a deep breath through her nose. Then, with fists clenched at her sides and cold flames in her eyes, she stalked out to the court room.

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Megumi stepped up on to the platform, easing herself into the chair besides the throne. Kaoru had yet to appear, though most of the court members were assembled. Examining her nails, Megumi sighed and settled into her seat.

She slid her gaze over to the empty throne, eyeing the red velvet cushion and the handsomely carved marble. It should be her sitting there.

All her life, it had been _Kaoru_ this and _Kaoru_ that. She was older, prettier, and smarter than Kaoru would ever be… and she definitely knew better than to get involved with a Tokugawa man. As Megumi listened to the quiet conversations going on throughout the room, she knew her cousin was dragging the whole kingdom down with her into scandal.

Suddenly Kaoru appeared in the room, walking with her usual lack of elegance towards the throne. She walked as though headed into battle, shoulders straight but head tilted forward, and eyes aggressive. Megumi snorted and sat up straighter in her seat. All the jewels and make-up in the world couldn't make Kaoru into a lady… unlike herself, for whom it was effortless.

And to think… the bratty tomboy was the queen. And she was not.

Kaoru settled into her throne and the session began, with the normal boring orders of business. A few villages to the west had flooded, and some of the budget had to be diverted there. A series of murders in the capital had finally been solved, and the criminal would be tried the following day. That part of the position Megumi did not envy.

About halfway through the session, Kenshin moved into the room. He _was_ handsome, Megumi reasoned, and very kind and polite. She had even glimpsed the muscles which moved effortlessly beneath his clothing, and had to admit he was well built. She hadn't lied to Kaoru when she said he might be a worthy pursuit, but she would never seriously pursue him… it would only damage her reputation. Her cousin, though, was so dense she couldn't see the swamp of rumors and humiliation she was drowning in.

The session ended, and the court members mingled, as they always did, for several moments after. Megumi watched with interest as a young man she recognized moved up to stand beside her cousin. They began making polite conversation, and Megumi overheard his name… "Soujirou." Ah yes, Shishio's son – and the prime suitor for Kaoru's hand.

She listened in, and he seemed to be actively pursuing time with the queen. But Kaoru hardly paid any attention to him. Her gaze was fixated on Kenshin, but not – as Megumi noted as curious – in any kind way. She was _glaring_ at him.

But it did not soothe Megumi's fears that her cousin was going to disgrace their family. In fact, it only aggravated them.

It was a gaze of passion… and all passion, whether angry or lustful, came from the same place within.

Her cousin was in love.

Megumi sighed and rolled her eyes. Foolish, foolish girl.

But maybe this was something good for Megumi… something she could use to finally get what she'd always wanted.

She smiled, and moved into the crowd to begin mingling.

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Moving through the shadows of the palace late at night, Kaoru walked down the hallway from her bedroom. Anger surged through her, tensing all her muscles. Every strong step down the hallway jarred her whole body.

She opened the bedroom door and had to physically resist slamming it behind her.

Kenshin stood between her and the bed, fully awake.

"I've come for my lesson," she said stiffly, though quietly, as there was someone sleeping in the room next door.

"Kaoru…"

"Our conversation this morning changes nothing about our deal," she said as she stepped a little nearer. "I still expect you to help me practice my swordsmanship."

"I'm not sure that's such a good-"

"Idea? Oh, I think it's an excellent idea," Kaoru said, almost sneering, before she grabbed Kenshin's shirt and pulled him towards the door. He scrambled to regain his balance and followed her reluctantly.

They reached the dojo quickly, in silence. Before Kenshin had even fully woken up, Kaoru had her wooden sword in hand and was facing him in her stance.

"Wait, wait, let me get ready, I-"

"Nope!" Kaoru shouted, suddenly charging him. Kenshin barely had time to grab a sword and block her strike, stumbling backwards on to his back. He rolled to the side as Kaoru swung down and struck the floor where he had lain moments before.

Kenshin leapt up, scrambling back towards the corner of the room, dodging all of her strikes.

"Fight – back!" Kaoru bit out, pushing him around the room with her charges and swings.

Weak heartedly, Kenshin lifted his sword to counter, but Kaoru was swinging with so much anger that he was still pushed back. He kept on the defense, sorrow in his eyes.

"Kaoru, I'm sorry-"

"Shut up!" she yelled, gritting her teeth and throwing her entire body into her next swing. Without fighting back, Kenshin didn't have a chance.

He fell like a pile of bricks, crashing to the floor as the sword flew out of his hands and landed a few feet away. Taking a deep breath, evidence of the wind knocked out of his lungs, he looked up at her, his eyes blank.

Kaoru threw her sword down onto the floor, angry tears brewing in her eyes.

"We're even," she said in a shaking voice, before storming out of the room.

Kaoru rarely cried. Of course, a scraped knee as a child often reduced her to tears, and during more sensitive times of the month she may have a moment or two of weakness, but overall she would not consider herself an emotional woman.

But she barely made it into her bedroom before she burst into tears.

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The next day was Sunday, and there was no court session, so court members wandered the palace and went into town.

Kaoru wrapped herself in a simple cream dress and moved quietly through the palace to the gardens. She avoided the fountain at all costs, simply meandering in the labyrinth. Walls of shrubbery surrounded her on all sides, guiding her through paths she had traced a thousand times before.

Even she didn't understand her behavior the night before.

So Kenshin had rejected her… why should she be angry about it?

Just thinking about it made her bristle again, but the burning rage of the night before had cooled to ice in her stomach.

A warm breeze stirred the tops of the maze, blowing leaves into her path. Kaoru continued her wanderings, finding herself suddenly in the center of the maze. A small gazebo covered in ivy stood there, and she climbed inside and sat down.

This man… this man… a few days with him had twisted her whole world around. Days before she was ready to become queen, ready to take the throne, on her own, and rule her kingdom better than anyone had before. She was ready to make her father proud.

But now…

Kaoru sighed and curled her hands into her lap. When had she become such a weak, emotional girl? Could one man… one week do all this? Most of the time it felt as if she were being controlled by puppet strings, her words and her actions not her own.

A voice yelling at the edge of the labyrinth disturbed her reverie, and she stood and walked to the edge of the gazebo. Grabbing the edge of the door frame, she peered over the top of the labyrinth and saw the very top of Gohei's head at the edge.

With a dramatic sigh, she hopped out of the gazebo and tore through the maze, coming to stand in front of him with a small smile.

"What is it now, Gohei?"

"I came to tell you Soujirou was looking to dine with you this evening. Shall I decline for you?" he said with an air of resignation in his voice.

Kaoru paused for a moment. A week ago, she would already be scrambling for an excuse to get out of it. But now…

"Tell him I would love to dine with him," she said quickly, with a smile.

Gohei looked shocked for a moment, before slowly walking off as though in a trance.

Kaoru stared down at the dusty ground, and then walked towards the palace. She supposed she should get ready.

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Tall white candles stood between them, with a vase of roses between them. Kaoru smiled to herself as she took her seat at one end of the table, expecting Soujirou to sit at the other end. Instead, he sat himself immediately at her right. At her questioning look, he smiled.

"I can hardly talk to you from down there, can I, Your Majesty?" He chuckled good-naturedly.

"I suppose we should wait for Megumi and Gohei," Kaoru said as she folded her hands in her lap, examining the wood grains in the table.

"I don't believe they're coming, Your Majesty."

"Call me Kaoru, Soujirou, please," Kaoru said with a sigh, and then she eyed him carefully. "What do you mean they're not coming?"

"Well, Gohei was dining in town, and Megumi had some previous engagement – didn't they tell you?"

"No, they didn't," she said with a small laugh at her advisor's genius. His plan all along… to get them alone. Well, it had worked.

"Then I suppose it is just us, Kaoru," Soujirou said just as the servants entered with the meal. They set plates with steak and rice before them, and then left without saying a word. "It looks delicious," Soujirou commented as he lifted his fork, but he looked to Kaoru to wait for her to eat first.

"It always does…" Kaoru said with indifference as she took a bite. It did seem to be extra delicious somehow, though she couldn't pinpoint why. "I'm sure you eat very well in the general's suite."

"Oh, very well," Soujirou replied, smiling around his food.

"What is it like having Shishio as a father?" she asked, suddenly taken by a fit of curiosity. At Soujirou's startled look, she remembered herself. "You don't have to answer that. Forgive me, it was inappropriate."

"No, no, Kaoru, don't apologize," Soujirou said as he set down his fork and replaced his smile. "Shishio is a wonderful father." His eyes sparkled for a moment, before he widened his grin. "I suppose you miss your father."

"Very much," Kaoru whispered, bowing her head. Every day she wondered if she was making him proud… or ashamed.

"I don't think this is very good dinner conversation," Soujirou said as he slid his hand over the table and over hers. Kaoru looked up, startled, at their hands. His hand was very delicate for a man's, and not very warm, not like…

She swallowed her sadness and turned her hand, so their hands lay palm to palm. Then she curled her fingers around his.

"I loved my father very much, but it is my time now, and I think he would understand my need to move on," she said softly, before lifting her eyes to Soujirou's. He squeezed her hand gently.

"I believe he would."

They finished the meal in pleasant silence; Kaoru a bit awkwardly, as her right hand remained in Soujirou's left.

When the servants had removed the plates and they were left alone, Soujirou suggested a walk in the garden. Kaoru agreed, never letting go of his hand.

As they walked through the foyer towards the garden doors, she had the fleeting thought that she wished Kenshin would see them like this, and feel any portion of the pain she felt. But it was gone before she could fully acknowledge the thought.

Hand in hand, they strolled through the garden, Kaoru carefully steering him away from the fountain. She couldn't return there, not right now, not with him…

"You know, Soujirou, you've lived in the palace your whole life, like me, and yet I know nothing about you. Oh, I know your parents and who your governess was and things like that, but who are you? What do you like to do?" Kaoru asked, smiling over at him. He only returned his same smile, and again she thought of Kenshin, and his simple grin. But there was something about Soujirou's smile that was completely different – and yet exactly the same.

"Oh, just your average things, I suppose. I enjoy swordsmanship," he replied.

"You do? What style do you practice?"

Soujirou looked at her, surprised by her reaction.

"You know about sword styles?"

"I don't just know about them… I practice my father's style," Kaoru said, eager to hear more about his swordsmanship. But Soujirou was still processing her words.

"I thought that was just a rumor about the castle, about your swordsmanship. I always thought your father would never allow such a thing."

Kaoru's smile faded, and she inadvertently held his hand tighter.

"My father knew I loved swords, and he allowed me the freedom to practice a style," she said somewhat tightly, her smile held on by a thread.

"It's quite improper for a queen, I should think."

The thread broke.

"I suppose it is," Kaoru said quietly, staring down at the path in front of them. Soujirou's hand was suddenly ice cold… how had she not noticed it before? She wanted to go back in time, when she thought maybe she could forget about Kenshin for a moment, could maybe live the rest of her life without him… but no man would ever see her love of swordsmanship the way he did – with utter acceptance.

She suddenly shivered.

"It is quite chilly, isn't it?" Soujirou asked, leading her back to the castle. "Shall we go inside?" Kaoru nodded solemnly, and they entered the castle.

As their hands broke apart and they separated for the evening, so went her hopes of ever finding someone to truly love, or to truly love her.

She never saw Kenshin watching them with narrowed eyes.

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**Author's Note: **Sorry for the long update wait. I was without computer access for the last few days. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter - we see a bit of the classic angry Kaoru here; Kenshin's playing games and she is not happy. Next chapter, the drama really gets going...

Next chapter:

_"I am extremely honored to announce the engagement of the son of our general, Soujirou, to our honored queen, Kaoru!"_

The opening line/chapter title is from Celine Dion's "All By Myself"


	9. The Chains You Put Around Me

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_I'd like to break the chains you put around me, and yet I'll never try… _

CHAPTER NINE:

Kaoru had wanted to have a full night's sleep, but somehow her sleep pattern had been changed over the last few late nights.

So she found herself, once again, wandering the castle at night.

It was becoming a bad habit, as she moved down the staircase between shafts of moonlight. The large windows above the entrance lit the foyer with silver, and added to the room a layer of chill. Wrapped in little more than a robe, Kaoru shivered as she touched her feet to the bare marble floor.

As she walked towards the kitchen, she heard yet again the telltale sounds of someone practicing in the dojo. Now she knew it could only be one person… was she ready to face him again?

The icy anger of earlier had melted in her encounter with Soujirou, but the feelings she had for Kenshin were now buried beneath piles of denial and hurt feelings. Seeing him again may unearth them, but for what? He obviously wanted nothing to do with her, _that way_, and had made it clear from the start. She didn't want to embarrass herself any more by throwing herself at him. Luckily no one but Kenshin had been witnessing her forward behavior, or else she would have already disgraced the throne beyond repair.

But she couldn't walk away.

She stood in front of the dojo entrance for several moments, her palm against the door. She could hear his swings and heavy breathing, could hear the whisper of the blade cutting through the air, and she could almost see him flying over the floor. Kaoru had always thought her father was the strongest warrior who ever lived… until she met Kenshin.

A lot of things changed when she met Kenshin.

The question was, were they for the better?

With a resigned sigh, she slid open the door, loud enough that Kenshin heard and turned to look at her. A strange emotion laced his eyes, and he waited for her to speak.

"I wanted to apologize about my behavior last night. It was awful – unforgiveable. To attack you that way-"

"You were hurt. I understand."

Kaoru looked at him, her lips parted and her mind churning. Anger once again boiled beneath her skin, and she wasn't even sure why anymore. She took a deep breath, and walked further into the room.

"I guess I was," she said neutrally as she pulled a wooden sword off the wall. Kenshin looked at her in fear, and she almost laughed. "I just want to practice. Shall we have a kinder lesson tonight?" She smiled, a peace offering.

Kenshin nodded slowly, placing his own sword against the wall and choosing a wooden sword.

They took their stances, and began to spar. Kenshin pushed a little harder tonight, knocking Kaoru down a few times, then helping her up and going again. Kaoru could see him slowly raising the bar, and smiled.

An hour later, both thoroughly exhausted, Kaoru called for the end.

"Thank you, Kenshin."

"For what?" he asked between heavy breaths, replacing his sword on the wall.

"For not letting me win – for pushing me. I know you may never use your full strength - I don't think I'd ever be at the level to face you at full strength – but you're not treating me like a queen, or a girl. For that, I thank you," Kaoru said, equally breathless, sitting down on the floor. Kenshin came and sat beside her.

"I wish only to repay your kindness. You are a talented swordswoman, Kaoru."

"Even though I believe in a foolish dream?"

"That could be part of it. You are passionate, and I can only hope your passion for your dream can someday make it a reality." Kenshin looked up at the ceiling, while Kaoru studied his profile.

"I suppose I was a little too passionate last night. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Only as much as I deserved, for hurting you."

Kaoru let her gaze fall to her feet, so that he couldn't see the sudden emotion in her eyes. An emotion even she had trouble identifying as it whirled around in her mind.

"I suppose I was the only one hurt by what happened between us," she said quietly, but Kenshin definitely heard. He opened his mouth to speak, but she laughed suddenly, a low mean chuckle. "That was the whole point of it, wasn't it? All this time, I kept pushing you, and you weren't going to lie to me and let me think it was returned. But you did play games, Kenshin, with your eyes and your words and your-"

Kaoru felt emotion cut her off, as tears welled up behind her eyes. Not now, she told herself, gritting her teeth and closing her eyes. But the feeling of Kenshin's eyes on her only made it worse. She jumped up from the floor.

"Do you see this?" she asked, pointing to the tears falling down her cheeks. Anger, pain, and passion mixed in her blood, and she smiled and looked away, still crying. "I don't cry, Kenshin. I don't. But you – you come here and suddenly, I'm crying. I'm a queen, of an entire nation, and a man I've known for – what, a week? – has me crying like a little girl. I care about you. If it wasn't obvious before, it sure is now… but you don't care about me, so what does it matter anyway?" She rubbed the back of her hand over her cheeks, scrubbing off the tears. Kenshin stood, and opened his mouth. "Don't," she said, holding out a hand, "please, just… don't."

Then she turned and walked out the door.

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It was almost never like this, with Kaoru going to Misao, but as the sun rose above the palace, here she was knocking at her friend's door.

A friendly maid opened the door, smiling and bowing graciously as Kaoru stepped into the room. Misao sat alone on the bed, brushing out her hair.

"Kaoru?" she asked, startled by her friend's intrusion. Kaoru was just glad Aoshi wasn't around; probably out on the hunt like Gohei and many of the others were.

"Hi, Misao," she said, taking a seat beside her. Kaoru was sure Misao could see the redness of her eyes, the puffiness of her face. As if on cue, Misao shooed the maid out of the room and took Kaoru's hand.

"What's wrong?"

"It's Kenshin… what else?"

Misao's hand tightened for a moment, before she reached her other hand to brush Kaoru's bangs out of her eyes and looked at her with real concern.

"What is it?"

"One minute we're friends, the next we're fighting, the next we're… he doesn't care about me at all, but I just can't help it, I…"

"You love him," Misao whispered.

"No, I don't," Kaoru defended instantly, before sighing as all the tightness fell out of her body in a sudden slouch. "I care about him, a lot, but it's not… _love_."

"How would you know? You've never been in love," Misao said with a tiny smile on her face. She wrapped her arm around Kaoru's waist and rested her chin on her shoulder. "It sounds like love."

"Well, whatever it is, it's very much one-sided. He doesn't want me at all."

"Remember when I thought the same?" Misao asked with a grin, glancing over at the wedding photo on the end table. "Men don't often say what they mean, Kaoru. In fact, sometimes they say the exact opposite. And they think women are difficult to understand." She laughed, but Kaoru remained silent, staring off into space. Misao sighed and squeezed Kaoru's waist.

"I… what should I do, Misao?"

Misao remained silent for a moment, and Kaoru looked over at her, desperate for an answer. For so long, Misao had come to Kaoru crying about Aoshi, miserable and believing it would never work. How many times had Kaoru told her not to give up? And finally, Misao got exactly what she wanted, and they were so incredibly in love. It was everything Kaoru wanted.

"He's going to leave, eventually." Misao pulled away from Kaoru and turned to face her straight on. "I'm sorry, Kaoru, but I think… I think you should forget about him. It's not worth all the pain."

"Was it worth it with Aoshi?" Kaoru asked, standing up from the bed and breaking their hands apart.

"That's different."

"How? How is it different?"

"Aoshi isn't from Tokugawa, and I'm not the queen," Misao answered matter-of-factly, her voice remaining calm. Kaoru looked lost, standing in the middle of the room. "You know I love you, Kaoru, I care about you and I just don't want to see you hurt."

"You keep saying that… everyone says it," Kaoru said softly. "What do you even mean? Do you mean the pain I'm feeling now?"

"If you keep this up with Kenshin, this will just be the beginning of your pain," Misao answered with full honesty in her voice. She crossed the room to Kaoru and wrapped her arms around her stiff body. "We say these things because we care about you so much. But it is your life."

"It is my life…" Kaoru repeated, her eyes vacant.

"Just think about this thing with Kenshin. Step back and think about it," Misao cautioned as Kaoru began walking to the door. "And please don't shut me out."

"I won't," Kaoru said quietly as she left the room.

Misao was right, so right it hurt, deep down in the pit of Kaoru's stomach. She should think about it…

But all she could think about was Kenshin's lips, his eyes, his heart. And somehow she was no better off than before.

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So far it had been a very boring court session. Nothing dramatic or life-changing had happened, and all the court members stood silently in their places, heads drooping off as they fought sleep. Kaoru herself was slightly slumped in her throne, listening to someone drone on about farming weather in the south. As though she could change the weather.

After the man had left, Gohei stepped up, presumably to end the session. People openly yawned and several started moving towards the door.

"Wait, wait, I have an announcement to make," Gohei shouted, though most believed it would just be a change in session time or in the date of some far-off ball. "An important announcement, about a wedding."

This caught everyone's attention, and many people poured back into the room. Kaoru sat straight up in her throne, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest. It couldn't be…

"I am extremely honored to announce the engagement of the son of our general, Soujirou, to our honored queen, Kaoru!"

Gasps and cheers exploded from the crowd, as Kaoru sat in stunned silence amidst the chaos.

Someone was grabbing her hand, pulling her out of the throne, and she turned and saw it was Soujirou, smiling at her.

"You knew about this," she hissed, slowly returning to her senses. Soujirou said nothing, merely smiling at her.

The crowd moved as one towards the throne, and she was thrown into a group of people shouting congratulations and shaking her hand. Misao was suddenly all over her, gleefully happy, shouting, "I'm so happy for you!" over and over again.

Gohei was lost in the crowd, luckily for him, as Kaoru felt an uncontrollable fury with his name on it.

She surveyed the crowd for him, as it surged around her and Soujirou, but she lost her train of thought as her gaze fell on an all too familiar sight.

Kenshin, standing at the back of the room, staring at her.

He did not look happy.

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As the mass of people thinned and left the court room, Kaoru ducked out without Soujirou noticing and ran to find Gohei. He was hiding, like a coward, in his room. As soon as she stormed into the room, he moved into defense mode.

"Kaoru, I-"

"It's 'Your Majesty' to you," she growled, slamming the door shut behind her. "That should remind you of your place. You are my _advisor_, Gohei! How many times must I tell you!? How dare you make that kind of decision for me, and announce it! You had no right!"

"I had every right," Gohei said, surprisingly calm, rising from his bed. "There is even a law, that any female ruler must find a husband within a certain time or be dethroned. _And_ this husband may be found by someone else in the case that she refuses to search herself. It was originally written for widows, but I suppose it would stand for stubborn daughters as well."

"But you didn't even discuss it with me!"

"You seemed to get along with Soujirou; he seemed like the best choice. Would you rather I choose someone you hardly know from the crowd of old nobles in this land? You should be thanking me for being so kind."

"Kind!? I should be _killing _you," Kaoru said as she stormed towards him, hands fisted at her side. Her face was red and her eyes dark with rage. "I don't need a husband, Gohei – I guarantee that law is at least a hundred years old. Why can't everyone just let me be?"

"Because you insist on making a spectacle of yourself with that damn foreigner!" Gohei loomed over her, his calm demeanor gone. "I was doing what was best for my country. All you're doing with your foolish independence and disgusting generosity is tearing it apart! One of these days you'll have civil war on your hands and you'll be begging me to fix it for you. I won't let that happen to this land that I love – or to you. Believe it or not I care what happens to you."

"You care what happens to _you_. If I go down, they'll take my whole administration with me. Don't pretend to care, Gohei," Kaoru spat out. "I'll find a way to fight you on this."

"Soujirou will make a fine husband."

"For somebody else!"

Kaoru stormed out of the room, moving swiftly towards her room until she abruptly ran into someone's chest. "Oh, sorry," she bit out, before looking up…

Into angry violet eyes.

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**Author's Notes: **Hello everyone! Sorry once again for the long update - computer issues school time slipping away from me. Also, thank you so much to all those who have reviewed the last few chapters! Please keep letting me know what you think as the roller coaster continues. Gohei has overstepped his bounds and locked Kaoru into a difficult dilemma - and Kenshin is not happy about it. Next time, things heat up between our lovers, but is it for the better? Or the worse?

Next chapter:

_"Why don't you love him?" Kenshin repeated, breaking apart her thoughts. _

_She looked him right in the eyes, in those oddly beautiful eyes… _

_"He isn't you," she whispered._

The opening line/chapter title is from Celine Dion's "I Hate You Then I Love You"


	10. We Will Always Be Together

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_And I promise you that we will always be together…_

CHAPTER TEN:

"Kenshin?"

Kaoru looked up at him, puzzled by the anger written across his face. Without saying a word, Kenshin opened the door to her bedroom and pulled her inside.

"What are you-"

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, shielding his eyes with his bangs. Kaoru watched him, very puzzled.

"About the engagement? Well, I didn't know about it until about the same time you did," she explained. "I thought you didn't care?"

"I do," he answered curtly, lifting his gaze. His eyes had faded, yet again, to a very pale violet, nearly translucent. It was disorienting, and Kaoru stood still, unsure what to do.

"What?"

Kenshin almost glared at her.

"I care. Of course I care. Are you that dense?"

Kaoru glared right back, and then laughed. There was nothing happy about it, as she returned to glaring and smiling at the same time.

"Dense? You think I'm dense for not thinking you care? When this whole time you've been telling me there's no relationship possible, that it's a mistake, and you keep walking away? Oh, I'm sorry; I never realized that was 'caring.'" Kaoru pushed her hands into her hips, and swore to herself she wouldn't cry. Not again.

"You don't know anything about me – that's why we can't be together. It doesn't mean I don't care," Kenshin said, speaking very much out of character.

"Then tell me about you!" Kaoru stepped closer, feeling tiny pricks of hope that she knew would be her downfall. "Let me know you."

"I can't."

"Why not!?" Kaoru was right in front of him now, able to reach out and grab the sleeves of his shirt. "Why do you play these cruel games with me?"

"Are you going to marry him?" Kenshin's voice was eerily calm, his eyes anything but.

"What? Marry Soujirou?" Kaoru dropped his sleeves. "I don't want to… but Gohei made it sound like I couldn't get out of it."

"Why don't you want to marry him?"

_He isn't you…_ Kaoru swallowed the thought and lifted her eyes to the ceiling.

"I don't love him," she said, very quietly.

"Why not?" Kenshin asked, his words slow and cautious.

_He isn't you… _

"I just don't," Kaoru said, letting her gaze drop from the ceiling to the floor.

Kenshin stepped closer, so that his heat moved through her like a warm drink, settling into her stomach. Kaoru refused to look at him, studying the intricate designs of the carpet. She couldn't look at him, couldn't see him and think straight. All she could think of was him.

"Why don't you love him?" Kenshin repeated, breaking apart her thoughts.

She looked him right in the eyes, in those oddly beautiful eyes…

"He isn't you," she whispered.

Before she could take a breath, he was surrounding her. His muscled arms crushed her to him, his lips pressed so tightly against hers she could feel the curve of his teeth. This wasn't like the kiss before, guided entirely by her inexperience – it was led by Kenshin, who apparently knew very well what he was doing.

Her mouth opened almost automatically, just slightly, but it was enough for Kenshin to follow her initiative as he opened his own. Then all Kaoru could feel was the sudden moisture as her bottom lip slipped between his, and his tongue ran across it. A strangled sound from deep inside her was released, and Kenshin's arms tightened around her. She melted into his embrace.

And just as quickly it was over.

Kenshin pulled away, leaving her stumbling to regain her balance. Without a word, he left the room.

Kaoru stood in the middle of the room, alone, the moisture left on her lips cooling quickly.

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With a smile still on her lips, Kaoru woke up the next morning and faced the sunlight streaming in through her bedroom window. Her entire body tingled with lingering dreams.

As she bathed, she closed her eyes and leaned against the edge of the tub. The heat of the bath stirred her already warmed blood. No matter how she diverted her thoughts, she couldn't keep the blush from her cheeks.

It was just a kiss. He had said he cared… but he didn't say in what way. So really, it was nothing.

But, Kaoru thought as she slipped her head beneath the water, to her, it was something. He hadn't walked away from her yet. She could only hope that he wouldn't.

After she finished her bath, she dressed herself in a pale pink gown and slipped out into the hall.

That was when she saw Shishio, moving through the foyer, leading a pack of guards through their rounds. Oh… Soujirou. The engagement. For a few blissful hours, it had all slipped her mind. Now it all came flooding back.

She would have to break it off. She didn't love Soujirou… she loved Kenshin. There, she could admit it. Love - love was the warmth coursing through her, love was the constant smile on her face, love was the tickling feeling nipping at her fingertips.

Whatever law Gohei had at his disposal, she would waive it. Perhaps she could find a way to marry Kenshin. His heritage be damned – love was love!

She found herself standing in front of Gohei's room before she even knew she had moved. Taking a deep breath, she pounded on the door.

Gohei opened the door, grumbling to himself until he saw Kaoru standing there.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," he said as Kaoru pushed into the room. "How can I help you?"

"You can start by breaking this engagement," she said, smiling kindly.

"You know I can't do that," Gohei said sternly, turning to face her. "I know you aren't happy about it, but Soujirou will make a fine husband."

"I don't love him, Gohei."

"When did anyone ever marry for love? Soujirou is well-liked by the court and the kingdom; he is kind and strong and intelligent. He will make a fine husband, as I said. You really can do no better."

"I don't love him."

"Oh, and I suppose you love someone else? The Tokugawa man, perhaps?" Gohei said with a laugh. At Kaoru's silence, his face darkened considerably. "For your sake, I will ignore that. Your Majesty, you have no idea what you're doing. How many times must we go over this?"

"Until you change what you're saying," Kaoru said, moving towards the door. "Just, call off the engagement. Now."

"And then what? You'll marry the Tokugawa man, and you'll live happily ever after?" Gohei blocked the door, staring down at her. "Your Majesty, I'm not just saying these things for your moral benefit. This is a much more serious situation than you seem to realize."

"What? The whole kingdom cares who I marry?"

"As a matter of fact, they do. You have no idea how close they are to rioting already. They feel nervous about having the enemy in their castle… imagine how they'd feel about having one as their king?"

"He's not 'the enemy'-"

"To you, he's not, Your Majesty; but to them, he always will be," Gohei said, crossing his arms. "Some say there's been a growing militia to the east, just in response to people's nerves. They're frightened you're going to fall under Tokugawan influence and sell the whole kingdom out to King Hiko." He leaned towards her. "Do you think marrying the Tokugawan would ease their fears? I'm not exaggerating when I'm saying there could be a full out rebellion."

Kaoru stood there, her eyes locked on the floor. The warmth had drained out of her, leaving her standing in a chilled puddle as she thought over Gohei's words.

"You're lying to make me marry Soujirou," she said quietly.

"You can't afford to wait and find out."

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"She's much too forward for a proper queen," Soujirou said as he sat beside his father. "And very young… but she is pretty."

"Of course she's pretty; you never saw her mother, but she was…" Shishio laughed deeply, and then looked to his son. "Have you talked to her since the announcement of your engagement?"

"No… she's quite angry about it, I can tell."

"I know she is… the girl has an inappropriate temper. But announcing it before even discussing with her – it was very ballsy of Gohei. Good for him." Shishio looked right into Soujirou's smiling eyes. "Will you be ready when the time comes?"

"I will be king?"

"If the marriage is consummated and fully acknowledged by the court, there's nothing they can do."

"Even if it's murder?"

Although he didn't stop smiling, Soujirou's eyes did harden as he looked at his father, who sat casually in his chair. A flickering smirk lay on his face.

"The country's torn up enough that an assassination will really surprise no one at this point," Shishio said. "Act bereaved enough, and no one will ask questions. Everyone likes you better anyway."

Soujirou said nothing, looking down at the palms of his hands.

As always, he smiled.

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Kaoru wandered, uncertain, through the halls. The hem of her gown trailed over the carpet. Her mind twisted and turned over Gohei's words, imagining scenes of violent rebellions and her people dying in the streets, in the castle.

Was it worth it?

Kenshin appeared at the end of the hall, smiling at her. Kaoru sighed.

She couldn't help saying… yes.

She walked towards him, the smile Gohei had killed slowly returning. Within a few moments, she found herself standing in front of him, her fingers playing with a seam in her gown.

"Good morning, Kenshin," she said in a soft girl's voice, something she had rarely heard from herself before.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," he said politely.

Taking a quick look around the hallway and finding it empty, Kaoru pulled Kenshin into the nearest room. She didn't release his hand as they stood alone in the room. She giggled and leaned towards him, eyes closing as she pressed her lips forward for a kiss.

He pulled his hand away and gripped her arms, pushing her away.

"Kaoru…"

Feeling the small amount of her remaining calm fall out of her, Kaoru pulled away from his hands and shoved him violently away from her.

"What is _wrong_ with you!?" she shouted, forgetting herself. "First you kiss me, then you pull away, then you say you care about me, and kiss me, and then you pull away again! I can't take it anymore, Kenshin!"

"It's not easy for me," Kenshin said, ignoring Kaoru's scoff. "You are so beautiful, and kind, and every time you get near me and say those things… I lose control. But I'm _not_ worthy of what you want to give me."

"It's about your past, isn't it? Your 'mysterious past' that, if I knew, would make me forget everything I know about you, and somehow make you less 'worthy' of love." Kaoru softened, seeing Kenshin watching her with bated breath, and lifted her fingers to graze his scarred cheek. "I only care about who you are right _now_… I care nothing for who you've been before."

"You would if you knew."

"We must live in the present, Kenshin," she whispered, looking deep into his eyes. "Leave the past where it belongs… in the past."

"Kaoru…"

She was ready this time, when his lips descended upon hers. Ready for the soft silk of his lips and the moistness of his tongue.

But she was not ready for the warmth of his hands roving over her body, or the way he moved his head and prolonged the kiss beyond the extent of her breath. The slow burn in her lungs suddenly filled her whole body. He pulled away and returned, again and again, as Kaoru clung to the fabric of his shirt across his back.

She felt his entire body press against her as he urged her a few steps backward, towards the bed in the center of the room. She felt the hardness of the male body, even things she had only heard the lewder maids speak of. But she could ask no questions, as his mouth captured hers mercilessly.

When the back of her knees touched the comforter, they halted their movement.

Kaoru's mind raced in those few moments, thinking over everything she'd heard about this moment, about this act… She had heard snippets of gossip from the maids, crude bragging from the guards, and blushing confessions from Misao, but how she put it all together in her head was probably much harsher or much gentler than reality. But what she did know as fact – would she give herself to him? Unmarried, betrothed to another – would she give herself to him?

Yes, she would.

Kaoru leaned backwards over the bed, pulling Kenshin with her. She knew nothing about what came next, but he would. She waited for him to take control.

Instead, he pulled away, breathing heavily. His eyes, as he opened them slowly, were paler than she had ever seen, full of the color and fire of the sun. Kaoru gasped for breath as she looked up at him with wide eyes.

"I can't do this," he said breathlessly, pulling fully away from her. As he turned to walk out of the room, Kaoru lunged forward and grabbed his arm.

"Wait, don't go, please," she said, struggling against sudden tears. "I apologize… I was forward, I was-"

"It is not that, Kaoru, not you…" Kenshin said, shielding his eyes from her with his bangs. He let her slide her hand down his arm and into his hand. "Why do you care about me? Why can't you see that you can do so much better?"

"You're the best man I've ever known."

"You don't know very much, then…" He lifted his gaze, and showed her brilliant violet eyes. "I do feel for you, Kaoru, very much – too much."

Kaoru leaned forward and pressed her lips gently to his. The kiss held none of the raging fire of the earlier ones, but the same passion simmered just beneath the surface.

As she pulled away, she smiled.

"What about Soujirou?" Kenshin asked softly.

"It's over with him… I'll make sure of it," she said, still gripping his hand.

"And what then? Your people will never accept me-"

Kaoru pressed her finger to his lips, silencing his words.

"Don't think of that now. When I return from my trip to town tomorrow, I will speak with Soujirou. And I will think of a way for this to work. I promise."

Kenshin ran his fingertips over the side of her neck, sighing and tilting his head to look at her with warm eyes. He looked torn between a smile and running away, but Kaoru held his hand tightly and would not let him go.

"You have given me my first home in ten years, Kaoru," he said as he pressed his palm to her neck and looked at her with infinite tenderness.

"It will be your last home, Kenshin. I will make sure of it."

Kaoru kissed him swiftly, pulling away and blushing as she quickly left the room.

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**Author's Notes: **Hello everyone! Thank you for the reviews - I'm so glad people like this story. Well, things continue to heat up, and our lovers seem to finally be on the same track - but will it last? And what about Soujirou, Shishio, and Gohei - all plotting against Kaoru! There's definitely trouble brewing...

Next chapter:

_She looked at Gohei. _

_"Begin to plan the wedding," she said quietly, bringing her quivering hands together to hold them tightly against her lap._

The opening line/chapter title is from Celine Dion's "I Love You".


	11. All the Chances That Were Lost

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_We'd count up all the chances, that were lost to us forever…_

CHAPTER ELEVEN:

Sitting daintily within the carriage, Kaoru pulled her black lace shawl tighter about her shoulder and parted the curtains of the window. She peered up at the castle, tucked securely up on the hill surrounded by a tall grey wall. As she looked the castle moved through the gate and down the winding road into town.

Guards moved as one mass around the carriage, shielding it from the people who gathered beside the road to watch her pass. Kaoru waved through the window, smiling at the children running beside the guards and at the people throwing flowers onto the dirt road.

But as they continued their journey deeper into the public sector of the capital, the cheers of the people turned to jeers, and the flowers turned to rocks.

"How dare you let the enemy live in our capital!?"

"You're nothing like your father!"

"You'll bring war on us again!"

"Whore!"

The guards closed in tighter around the carriage as the people swarmed, but they couldn't stop a rock from shattering the window beside Kaoru. Glass sprinkled over her, falling into the folds of her dress.

The carriage finally reached the outskirts of town, where it turned to take the long road around back to the palace.

Kaoru stared over at Gohei, tears slipping down her cheeks.

"Do you still think I'm lying?"

Kaoru lifted a trembling hand to brush the tears from her cheeks, then shook the glass from her dress, letting it fall all around her. She thought of the days she would go with her father into town, and the people would yell with delight and throw gifts at the carriage. Never rocks…

"What can I do?" she whispered, swallowing thickly.

"Marry Soujirou," Gohei said calmly, sitting stiffly against the seat across from her.

Kaoru took a deep, shuddering breath. She thought of Kenshin… she thought of Soujirou… she thought of her father. She looked at Gohei.

"Begin to plan the wedding," she said quietly, bringing her quivering hands together to hold them tightly against her lap.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied, hiding his slow smile.

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Wedding planners scrambled about the palace, taking measurements and choosing colors. A date was chosen for a few weeks from that day. Foreign dignitaries (none from Tokugawa, of course) were invited, as well as all the members of the court. The people would be allowed onto palace grounds to watch.

Kaoru sat on her throne, answering questions about the plans every few minutes. She never smiled. She sat somewhat slumped in the chair, as Gohei stood off to the side directing the show. Soujirou moved around, practicing being king by giving orders here and there.

A voice beside her startled her from her thoughts, as Kenshin moved to stand beside the throne.

"Your Majesty," he said stiffly in greeting, nodding his head.

"Hello Kenshin," Kaoru replied wearily. She closed her eyes, which were somewhat sore from tears she had cried upon returning to the castle.

"I hear the date has been set."

Kaoru looked up at him, begging with her eyes for him to understand, but he merely stared sternly down at her. His stance was stiff, his hands clasped behind his back and his hair pulled to the back of his neck. His eyes were caught between anger and sorrow.

"The people need a king."

"A king they know already… I understand," Kenshin replied, stepping forward as though to walk away.

"Kenshin, if I could I would choose you over everything," she said soft enough that only he could hear. He stopped walking, but didn't turn around. "But I have to choose my country this time." She paused, fighting back tears. "Please… don't leave."

Kenshin turned around and looked at her, seeing the agony etched into her features.

"You've made your choice, Your Majesty."

"I'll think of something, something to fix this," she said, trying not to raise her voice or reach out to him. "Just wait… wait for me to think of something."

Kenshin took a breath, and Kaoru sat, breathless, putting every emotion she felt into her eyes as she gazed at him. He looked down, and shook his head.

"I won't leave," he said softly, and Kaoru smiled through her tears. She wiped them away hastily. "But I can't stay forever and watch you with him."

"You won't have to, I promise," Kaoru said, continuing to smile as Kenshin walked slowly away.

From the other side of the room, Shishio watched with glaring eyes as the Tokugawan left the queen sitting on the throne. There was something about that man so achingly familiar, though a name and a place would not come to him. He had been dreaming, lately, of his last battle – the battle of Hitokiri, when that damn Prince Battousai had taken everything from him. Or, at least, that's what his damaged memory told him. His body, his mind, damaged forever… and his only consolation was that the little prince had disappeared and lost his inheritance, throwing Tokugawa off balance.

For ten years, he had struggled to deal with the fatal injuries he had been left with, and had tried again and again to remember the face of the bastard who had done it to him. But his battle with the prince was lost… except in fragments of dreams.

Now that damn Tokugawan kept stirring up things better left forgotten. And he was this close to ruining Shishio's plan to make Soujirou king.

Perhaps a rumor, spread to the right rebels in the capital, was just the thing right now…

Just the thing to kill a queen.

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Soujirou stood in the foyer, talking to one of the florists, when the Tokugawan brushed past him on the way to the staircase. Soujirou dismissed the florist for the moment and chased after him, trying to remember his name.

"Ah… ah, Kenshin!" he shouted, halting the man's ascent up the stairs.

"Oh, hello, Soujirou," Kenshin said with a simple grin in place. "Congratulations are in order."

"Yes, thank you." Soujirou smiled back, and they stood facing each other for an awkward moment before Soujirou spoke up again. "You will be here for the wedding, won't you?"

"I have no plans to leave."

"Well, I know it is often a struggle for a wanderer to stop wandering," Soujirou said pleasantly. "Exchanging the freedom of the open road for a gilded cage must be… difficult for you."

"There's something to be said for knowing where you'll sleep the next night," Kenshin replied, eyeing Soujirou through his smile. Soujirou eyed him right back.

"Well, Her Majesty would love to have you there, I'm sure. You were very helpful in the Jineh situation; one can only hope you will be here to protect her in the future."

"This one hopes she will not need protecting in the future." Though his smile remained, Soujirou saw Kenshin's eyes harden perceptibly.

Soujirou opened his mouth to say something more, but the persistent florist returned with another urgent question. By the time Soujirou had shooed him off, Kenshin was gone.

Soujirou was sure of it… the Tokugawan was trouble.

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Though she hadn't spoken to Misao since their "fight" a few days earlier, Kaoru was completely lost and alone. She needed a friend.

Cautiously, she knocked on Misao's door.

Misao pulled open the door, squealed, and yanked Kaoru into the room.

"I heard you set the date! Oh my goodness, Kaoru, I've been trying to talk to you since I heard about the wedding. How could you not tell me? That's okay, I forgive you. I'm just glad this whole thing with Kenshin is over-"

"It's not," Kaoru said, struggling to pick important words out of Misao's rambling, but understanding the last sentence perfectly well.

Misao stopped talking, pulling Kaoru over to sit on the bed.

"What?"

"It's not over – the thing with Kenshin. It's so not over, I… Misao, I don't know what to do," Kaoru said, holding onto Misao's hand. She didn't see Misao sigh deeply and look at her with concern in her eyes.

"Are you expecting me to know?"

"No, I just need to talk to _someone_, someone who'll be honest but kind, someone without an agenda."

"That's me, I guess," Misao said with a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "What's going on?"

"The people are so angry and frightened, Misao, they're ready to revolt! Over what? Kenshin? If they knew him, they wouldn't be afraid; he's so kind and brave… Better than Soujirou in every way." She said the last part bitterly, glaring at the carpet as though it were her betrothed. "But how could I ever convince them of that?"

"I don't think you can," Misao said softly, holding Kaoru to her tightly.

"So I'm marrying him – but I don't love him, not at all, I love… I love Kenshin."

Kaoru heard Misao release a breath.

"Misao, what am I going to do?"

"I don't know, but… you have to do what's right."

"And what is that?" Kaoru asked, pulling away to look into Misao's eyes. The girl, who was a few months younger than the queen, looked so mature and aged, without her normal jubilance in her eyes.

"Only you can decide," Misao said softly.

Kaoru leaned her head onto Misao's shoulder, and the girls sat there in silence for several moments.

Aoshi walked into the room, stopping when he saw Kaoru sitting on the bed with his wife. He moved back towards the door, pulling it open, before Kaoru told him to stop. She disengaged herself from Misao and stood up.

"She's all yours, Aoshi," she said with a smile.

"I know," Aoshi replied, in his usual monotone, though his eyes were molten metal as he looked at his wife. As Kaoru moved towards the door, she heard Aoshi say softly, "I thought I said I never wanted to see you with anyone else in this bed." Misao giggled loudly as Aoshi climbed into the bed with her, growling playfully.

Kaoru smiled to herself and closed the door shut behind her. She saw Kenshin walking through the foyer.

Well, it certainly felt right…

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They were off the palace grounds before anyone noticed they were gone.

Kaoru laughed as she pulled Kenshin through the back gate of the stone wall, running up the sloping meadows towards the mountains. The capital lay on the other side of the palace, sprawling down to the south in a maze of buildings and roads. As they reached the first plateau, Kaoru collapsed onto the ground, pulling Kenshin with her.

She sat up, and Kenshin followed suit.

"Isn't the view amazing?" she said, looking down at the large palace and the massive capital. A few cottages dotted the hillside, though they were mostly obscured by trees.

"Won't they miss you in the wedding planning?"

"Perhaps, but it won't matter to set them back a day or two," she said with a breathless laugh, before leaping up and running further up the slope towards the next plateau. A wooden sword was strapped to her back, as one was strapped to Kenshin's, though he also had his reverse-bladed sword hanging at his hip. A lesson in the mountains, she had suggested. And here they were.

Kenshin followed at a slower pace, chuckling to himself.

"Come on, old man!" Kaoru shouted, ignoring Kenshin's momentary look of guilt before he placed his simple grin back on. "Show me what you're made of!"

When they faced each other on the next plateau, Kaoru pulled her sword off her back and gestured for Kenshin to do the same. Before he had time to settle himself, Kaoru was running at him, concentration written all over her face.

As they danced the dance of swords, Kaoru couldn't help but notice she had improved. She was nowhere near Kenshin's level, but he wasn't holding back as much as before. At some points, she had him on the run, looking almost nervous. Her speed had greatly improved, as had her ability to predict what the enemy would do next. Though all her moves were her own, Kenshin had taught her more than he knew.

After an hour or so, Kaoru collapsed into the grass, gasping for breath. Sweat ran in rivulets down her face and back, soaking through her cotton gown, cut for practice. Kenshin moved slowly over to lie beside her. They stared up at the clouds.

"I'm sorry about the wedding, Kenshin, but my people-"

"Trust me when I say I understand," he interrupted, though his gaze remained on the clouds. Kaoru looked over at him, eyebrows coming together in confusion.

"Will you ever tell me about your past?"

"Maybe someday," he said, turning now to look at her. "I thought you said you didn't care."

"I don't – but it doesn't mean I'm not curious." She smiled to ease the slight tension of the moment, and Kenshin relaxed into a true smile himself. Kaoru reached over and grabbed his hand, tangling their fingers together.

She had no idea what to do… but she would do something. She loved Kenshin. She couldn't marry Soujirou.

She would think of something.

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Hand in hand, they walked down the slope, breaking apart only once they reached the castle wall. Sneaking back into the palace, Kaoru prepared her excuse to give to Gohei.

But she forgot it as soon as she reached the foyer.

Bodies covered the floor, some dead, most injured, as guards and servants milled about in the chaos. Gohei strode furiously through the chaos, stopping in front of Kaoru and glaring down at her. Kenshin slipped slowly from her side, choosing not to aggravate the situation further with his presence.

"Where were you?" Gohei bit out, but Kaoru could only look about the palace, tears gathering in her eyes.

"What happened?" she whispered, trying not to find familiar faces among the injured. A few bodies lying completely covered in white sheets tore her breath from her body, as she imagined who could lie beneath those sheets.

"Some rebels from the capital moved in, presumably to assassinate you. A battle took place, as you can see…" There was sick humor laced through Gohei's voice.

"And… who…?" Kaoru whispered, gesturing vaguely towards the dead.

"Mostly rebels," Gohei said, and Kaoru sighed in relief, feeling suddenly bloodless as she stumbled through the room. "But your friend, Aoshi, is with the doctor now."

Kaoru stopped and turned to stare at him.

"They don't think he'll make it."

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**Author's Note: **Hello everyone! Thank you for all the reviews - every one of them, short or long, is definitely appreciated. As we head into the final stretch, the drama gets bigger and more intense. Tell me what you think!

Next chapter:

_He surveyed the guests before his eyes landed on the Tokugawan, whose gaze was fixated on the queen. Poor boy, he thought, as he noticed something very strange. The Tokugawan's eyes were… golden._

The opening line/chapter title is from Celine Dion's "It's All Coming Back to Me Now"


	12. When the Shadows Descend

**_WARNING_**- This chapter contains profanity.

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_When the shadows descend…_

CHAPTER TWELVE:

Kaoru ran up the stairs, forgetting to hold the slit in her dress together for decency. She banged on Misao's door, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart. If anything had happened to Aoshi… because of her…

A tearful maid opened the door, and Kaoru saw Misao lying on the bed, surrounded by a flock of maids flitting around her. Upon seeing Kaoru, Misao sprung out of bed.

"What are you doing here!?" she shouted, and the maid behind Kaoru quickly shut the door.

"Misao, I'm _so_ sorry, how is he-"

"How is he? How is he? They don't know if he'll ever wake up, Kaoru. Some idiot bashed his head in instead of _yours_!" Misao glared at her through red, splotchy eyes. "Don't ask me right now if I wish the alternative was true, because you won't like the answer."

"What can I do?"

"Do? You can go back in time and _listen_ to me!" Misao was held back by a few maids gripping her arms. "I could have prevented all this if I would have smacked some sense into you when I saw you going down this path. Why are you so selfish? Why are you only thinking about yourself, what you want?"

"I didn't do this," Kaoru said softly, and this time Misao really had to be held back, a few more maids running to grab pieces of her clothing to keep her from pouncing on the queen.

"That's my _husband_ dying down there," she shouted, agony pouring down her face, "because you just had to fall in love with the fucking Tokugawan!" She burst into sobs, the fight draining out of her as she sank to the floor. Most of the maids sank with her, and they fell into a sobbing tearful pile on the floor. "The love of my life, Kaoru… what will I do if he dies?" she whimpered, hiding her face in her hands. "The love of my life…"

With tears dribbling down her own cheeks, Kaoru left the room, shutting the door behind her. She pressed her mouth into her palm and choked back sobs. Everywhere she looked, people hobbled by clutching bleeding wounds or mourning lost family.

She should have been here.

Gohei was directing traffic in the foyer, his own arm bandaged lightly. Kaoru moved right to him, trying to collect herself, not bothering with her disgraceful outfit.

"Gohei…" she said, just loud enough to get his attention. When she had it, she swallowed the lump in her head and looked right at him. "Do what you can to get the palace ready – I'm getting married tomorrow."

"Your Majesty," he said, shock written all over his face.

"I will give my people whatever they need – and what they need right now is a king. It doesn't need to be lavish; just get everyone ready for a wedding in the palace chapel tomorrow," Kaoru said without emotion. "If the foreign dignitaries are insulted, we'll hold a second ceremony when they arrive."

Then she turned and walked away, not even sparing Kenshin, who had been standing there the whole time, a second glance.

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Darkness claimed the capital, and sleep descended upon the inhabitants. Except, of course, for the queen.

Moving on small dainty footsteps, Kaoru walked through the infirmary, looking down on her wounded subjects. Even some of the rebels lay there, so that they could get the best treatment in the capital. Kaoru insisted that all her people be healed.

Since the announcement of the impending wedding, the tremor caused by the revolt had eased. Emissaries of the court reported many of the formerly riotous areas of the capital had calmed since the announcement, though no one would give up their anger until the queen was married and they had their king.

She finally reached the final bed in the row, looking down at the tall man lying prone on the bed, and the small woman slumped over him, fast asleep. Aoshi's head was wrapped in bandages, but the rest of his body was uninjured. Misao lay practically comatose across his stomach, one hand reached out and entwined in his.

The doctors assured the queen that they had done all they could, and now they could only wait for him to awake. It could be mere hours, or days, or… never.

"It isn't your fault, that it isn't," a soft and familiar voice said as footsteps neared her. Kaoru glanced up and saw Kenshin approaching. "If anything, it's mine for ever coming to the capital."

"Don't say that," Kaoru said abruptly, stepping away from Aoshi's bedside. "I should have listened… but I couldn't help myself from…" Kaoru walked out of the infirmary, Kenshin following at her shoulder. "I should have been here."

"If you had been here, you would be dead."

"But the rebels would have what they want, and my people wouldn't be dead or injured."

"Don't say that," Kenshin said, repeating her words, as he grabbed her by the shoulders and halted her retreat. "Anger and frustration is no excuse for murder, Kaoru. The rebels were wrong, no matter what you did. They did this. Not you… and not us."

"Either way… I have to fix it."

"I know."

"So you understand why I have to marry Soujirou tomorrow?"

Kenshin released her shoulders and dropped his head, sighing.

"I understand, but I won't pretend to like it," he said softly before lifting his head. "Not that anything could have happened between us anyway…"

"It could have… and I have to pretend it still can. Don't leave, Kenshin," Kaoru said, pulling him into a less public area. She didn't release his hand as they found a private room. Kenshin looked away with a pained expression.

"I can't watch you walk down that aisle – to him."

"I need you there," she said. "Besides, I won't be walking to him. In my mind, I'll be walking to you."

"But you won't be, you'll-"

"I know," she said, leaning forward so that her forehead rested on his left shoulder. She twisted her head so she could look up at his jaw. "I wish it didn't have to be this way."

"I'll fight for you," he said, his jaw tightening. Kaoru smiled and pushed upwards to press her lips to his jaw.

"You've already won me," she said between kisses. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away so he could look into her eyes.

"Then why do I feel like I'm losing… everything?"

He pulled her back to him, kissing her soundly on the lips, crushing her to his chest. Held in his arms, Kaoru felt safer than anywhere else in the world. But even he couldn't protect from the world. And now, unfortunately, was her moment to grow up and be the queen. Her people needed her more than he did… more than she needed him.

Kaoru pulled away, after a few blissful moments, and Kenshin wiped the tears from his cheek with his thumb.

"You'll be there, won't you?"

"For you, Kaoru," he said, "I will be there." He kissed her again, leaving his brand of fire on her lips, before he left the room.

Kaoru didn't sleep the rest of the night.

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The next morning moved so quickly Kaoru barely processed it. A wedding gown was brought in and tailored to her, and jewelry and decorations were chosen quickly. As the palace was overhauled for the wedding, Kaoru sat in her room, attendants surrounding her.

They pulled and twisted her hair into an intricate style, sticking bejeweled pins in and hanging a white lace veil from the top of the style. Her make-up was done to perfection, as a heavy diamond and sapphire necklace was draped around her neck, with matching chandelier earrings and bracelets. The necklace was more a choker than anything, and Kaoru wished for a moment it would cut off her breath and kill her right there.

Her wedding gown had long lace sleeves though it was off the shoulder, cutting beneath her collarbone with a fanciful neckline. It trailed behind her, made of white silk; and it fit snugly around her waist and bosom, though it hung loose from the waist down.

Once she was dressed up like a doll, and the guests were in their places, Kaoru heard the orchestra begin playing the song to announce her approach. For a moment, she lost her breath, gasping for air as nervous maids hovered around her, panicking. Then she saw Misao, standing alone, dressed in her finery and prepared to walk ahead of her as her bridesmaid. She hurried over to her.

"What are you doing? You should be with Aoshi," she whispered, but Misao held up her hand.

"I know you're doing this because of me and what happened to Aoshi…" She looked as though she were about to cry for a moment, then took a deep breath and looked at Kaoru. "I forgive you, Kaoru. I know what you're giving up… the love of your life."

The girls joined hands, saying nothing more, before Misao had to let go and move down the stairs.

"It is time," Gohei said suddenly from behind her, and Kaoru was reminded of her coronation. She took his arm and allowed him to lead her down the stairs.

Before she could even register it, she was standing at the back of the chapel, staring down the aisle at Soujirou's ever-present smile. Standing to the side, Kenshin watched her with unreadable eyes. Kaoru took a deep breath, swallowing her tears, and nodded to Gohei.

"I'm ready," she whispered.

The orchestra began the main part of the song, which would lead her down the aisle. As the guests praised her beauty in little whispers, Kaoru took step after step down the aisle. It was all too fast, and yet too slow. The gown dragged out behind her, moving over the rose petals the flower girl had spread before her. Misao stood at the end of the aisle, fighting her own tears as she watched Kaoru's approach.

Shishio, standing to the right of Soujirou, smiled as he watched the queen move down the aisle. Oh, but she was beautiful… too bad she would soon be dead. A shame, really. But it was all worth it.

He surveyed the guests before his eyes landed on the Tokugawan, whose gaze was fixated on the queen. Poor boy, he thought, as he noticed something very strange. The Tokugawan's eyes were… _golden_.

Shishio nearly fell over, merely swaying in his spot as he suddenly drowned in overwhelming memories. A night of blades and flame, fighting the red-haired devil with golden eyes… A night that had changed his life, ruined his body, taken his pride…

"_Battousai_…" he whispered to himself, fully recognizing the Tokugawan for the first time. Part of him wanted to grab his blade and kill the bastard right there, but he realized the queen had reached his son and they had begun their vows. Now was not the time – but later…

Kaoru looked up at Soujirou as the minister spoke before them, watched him smile and say his part. Then the minister turned to her, and spoke the age-old vows. It reminded her so much of the coronation; except then she had been happy to be queen. Now she wished she was anything but.

"Do you, Queen Kaoru of Meiji, take this man, Soujirou of Meiji, to be your lawfully wedded husband, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, 'til death do you part?"

Kaoru risked a glance out into the crowd, locking on golden eyes, before taking a breath and turning back to Soujirou. This was it…

"I do," she said softly, not even paying attention as the minister announced them man and wife. All of a sudden Soujirou was lowering his head to hers, and as she felt his lips against hers, she thought of Kenshin. In the back of her mind she heard the people cheer, but all she felt were lips against hers that did not belong… She only wanted one man's lips against hers.

And he was standing in the crowd, watching them with dangerous golden eyes.

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"To think he was under my nose the entire fucking time!" Shishio shouted, pacing the room. He twisted the hilt of his blade in his hands, growling with every breath.

"Calm down, Shishio," Gohei urged, as the two men prepared for the reception. "Look, tonight, your son will consummate the marriage and then kill that little brat – and then you can do whatever you want to the Tokugawan. But as long as the queen's alive, she'll protect him and pursue whoever kills him with the full extent of the law – which, like it or not, he still falls under as a guest of the queen. Once she's dead, no one will notice his death."

"He took everything from me!"

"You still have your wife and son – who just became king. Focus on preparing him for tonight; he can't kill her until he consummates the marriage. Trust me, they'll check her body, and if she's still a virgin the marriage is void. It's sick, but I've heard of it happening," Gohei explained, as Shishio took a breath and collapsed into a chair. "And if there's any sign he's forced himself on her that will void it too. It has to be consensual."

"So? Why wouldn't it be?"

"Look, just tell your son not to break the act until after they've consummated, then he can go psycho and kill her however he wants – but tell him to be careful. I'll make sure no one looks too deeply into her death, but I still don't want to have to do anything drastic to point fingers the other way."

"I've taught the boy well but I'll make sure he remembers himself and what he has to do," Shishio said, slowly calming down. "But as soon as that bitch is dead, I'm going to find Battousai and tear him apart… literally."

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**Author's Notes: **Oh boy, here we go. Hello everyone, and thank you for the reviews for the previous chapter. We're reaching the final chapters, and I know not everyone is going to like everything... if you love it, hate it, let me know. Shishio gets over his amnesia and fully recognizes Kenshin for the first time - as the lost prince Battousai! Soujirou and Kaoru are married! Oh the madness...

Next chapter:

_Megumi leaned in close, whispering so only Kaoru could hear. "I ran into your little lover boy heading upstairs after the wedding. I hope you already said goodbye…"_

The opening line/chapter title is from Celine Dion's "If That's What It Takes"


	13. In Your Arms In Ecstasy

**_WARNING: _**This chapter contains mature situations.

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_They would see me,__ in your arms in ecstasy… _

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

Kaoru sat beside her husband, at dual thrones in the ballroom. She thought of her parents, how they would sit so regally beside each other, sending loving glances at each every few moments. She looked over at Soujirou.

There was nothing loving about her glance.

"Congratulations, dear cousin," a slick voice said from her side, and Kaoru looked to see Megumi standing there in an emerald gown.

"Thank you, Megumi," Kaoru said, with a half-hearted smile.

"What, no barbed retort? No snappy comeback? Kaoru, I don't believe I recognize you," she said with a sly smile, slinking forward to lay a hand on the arm of Kaoru's throne.

"Not now…"

"Oh, poor Kaoru. Queen of Meiji, just married to a kind, handsome man who everyone loves. Oh, I could just cry."

"Shut up, Megumi," Kaoru bit out, trying not to look too angry with everyone watching. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Right, right." Megumi leaned in close, whispering so only Kaoru could hear. "I ran into your little lover boy heading upstairs after the wedding. I hope you already said goodbye…"

"What?" Kaoru asked, but Megumi was already walking away, her hips swaying as she moved.

Kaoru wanted to leave and find Kenshin, wanted to slow her racing heart, but tradition dictated she stay until the final guest left. As the night wore on, her mind continued to churn. She tapped her fingers on the arm of her throne. As people came up to offer their congratulations, she smiled and nodded and said all the right things – but her mind was somewhere, with someone, else.

Gohei walked up to Kaoru at the end of the night, as Shishio took Soujirou's hand and they exchanged "fatherly" words.

"You did the right thing, Your Majesty," he said quietly, placing his hand over Kaoru's restless one. "I know it was hard."

Kaoru looked up at him, disbelief in her eyes. Was he kidding? She bit back her automatic response, and smiled lightly.

"Thank you, Gohei," she murmured. He lifted her hand from the throne and pressed the back of her hand to his lips.

"Have a good night, Your Majesty."

Then he turned and walked away.

Before she knew it, Kaoru and Soujirou were alone in the room. Kaoru resisted the urge to run out of the room. Soujirou reached over and took her hand, kissing it gently.

"Shall we retire, my lady?" he asked, smiling at her.

"I have to go and… get ready," she said, pushing herself to blush delicately.

"Ah yes… take your time," he said with a light blush himself. "I shall see you in my room, beloved wife."

Kaoru smiled, slipping out of the room quickly and rushing up the stairs.

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"What are you doing?" Kaoru asked as she walked into Kenshin's room, seeing him gathering his few things on the bed. Kenshin halted his movements and turned to look at her.

"I'm leaving," he replied, ignoring the sad look on her face. "I stayed for the wedding. Please, don't ask me to stay and watch you be with him."

"So you'll just leave me to him?"

"What choice do I have?" Kenshin turned back to his belongings.

"Fight for me!" Kaoru yelled, reaching out and grabbing his arm. "You said you would; do it now."

"It's better this way, Kaoru, even if you can't see it – better for your kingdom, and better for you."

"Why?" Kaoru had a hand on each shoulder, shaking him and staring into his eyes. "Why must you insist you're some kind of monster I need protection from? I meant it when I said you're the best man I've ever known, Kenshin. I… I love you."

He looked at her, sorrow and regret staining his eyes, before reaching up and pulling her hands into his.

"You shouldn't. If you knew…"

"If I knew _what_?" Kaoru gripped his hands so hard Kenshin actually winced. "If you're so determined to push me away, then at least do it with the truth. I'm not going to let you go because of a bunch of cryptic warnings, Kenshin. And I may not let you go even with the truth. Give me the chance to understand." She released one of his hands and laid her palm over his scarred cheek.

Kenshin released a breath.

"I… I am Prince Battousai," he said softly, as Kaoru fought back a gasp of surprise and tightened her hold on his hand. "My father is King Hiko of Tokugawa. Ten years ago, I fought in the Bakumatsu Wars and killed… _hundreds_, at least. Hundreds, Kaoru, hundreds of men like your friend Aoshi with wives like Misao and children and families… And then I killed a woman, my betrothed, Tomoe. She interfered in a battle to protect _me_, to love _me_, and she died. At the end of _my_ blade." Tears filled his eyes and he sucked in a deep breath, looking down at the carpet. "I ran away, from everything. I'm a murderer, and a coward, and a liar, and I don't deserve you. I don't deserve love, Kaoru." He lifted his tearful gaze to her, a few tears slipping down his cheeks. "Now do you understand?"

Kaoru blinked away tears of her own, raising her hand to wipe away his tears. Then, she closed her eyes and leaned into press a tender kiss to his scar. Kenshin flinched and pulled away, staring at her.

"So that's why you don't kill… isn't it?"

Kenshin nodded, pulling his hand from hers and sitting down hard on the bed. Kaoru sat beside him, still in her wedding gown and jewels, thinking for a moment.

"You fought Shishio, didn't you?"

Kenshin nodded again.

"Why didn't he recognize you?"

"His injuries were severe; he was using a special blade that produces flame, and he lost control of it in our battle, turning the flames on himself. He may have suffered memory damage." Kenshin said, looking straight ahead. Then he closed his eyes and sighed. "And, I have changed a lot since then." He turned and saw Kaoru smiling at him. "No, I meant in appearance-"

"But in character too, Kenshin. Think of the man you were then. I was too young to know Battousai, but I've heard stories – you were a warrior, fearsome and powerful. You killed many in battle." She reached over and took his hand. "But look at you now. You refuse to kill, you carry a reverse-bladed sword, and you saved the life of the queen of your enemy. You've changed, inside and out."

"I haven't, I'm still-"

"Stop fighting it! Everyone has changed. Do you think I still believe in unicorns and run around the castle pretending to be one?" Kaoru smiled and grabbed Kenshin's chin, forcefully turning his gaze to her. "Did you know my father created his style _after_ the Bakumatsu Wars? I still don't think he ordered the invasion - I will never believe that – but he was a warrior, too, Kenshin, and I know as a prince he killed in battle. But the Bakumatsu Wars _changed_ him, and made him appreciate peace and life. Just like you."

Kenshin looked at her, hope flickering in his eyes, but it mixed with fear. Fear of rejection, fear of all his dreams coming true and then crashing down around him.

"Don't hold on to the past so long that you lose the present," she whispered, leaning in closer. "I love you, Kenshin. Who you are now, and everything that made you this way. Even Battousai."

As her lips grazed his chin, Kenshin closed his eyes.

"You don't know what you're doing," he said, but without pulling away.

"For once, I know exactly what I'm doing," she said, going in for the kiss. She shifted on the bed so she was right beside him, pressing her lips urgently against his.

"I love you, Kaoru," he breathed, before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into another kiss.

Kaoru smiled as she pulled away, standing before him beside the bed. She reached behind her neck and began unclasping the necklace. Kenshin jumped up and helped her, dropping the expensive jewels on the end table. Kaoru pulled out her earrings as Kenshin undid her hair, the veil dropping to the floor in a pile of lace. Soon there was nothing left but the dress.

"We shouldn't… Soujirou…" Kenshin said, though Kaoru could see he hated every word he said.

"It's my wedding night, Kenshin, and someone is going to remove this dress from me tonight." She leaned in to press her lips against his ear. "I want it to be the man I love."

Kenshin reached his arms around her and grasped the top of the zipper, slowly pulling it down her back. Kaoru shuddered at the sensation as cool air hit her bare back, before pulling back to look up at Kenshin. She was surprised, once again, to see his eyes colored with gold.

"Your eyes…" she whispered, and Kenshin closed them. She ran her fingertip around and beneath them. "They're beautiful." Kenshin opened his eyes, and allowed himself a smile, pulling her into a tight hug.

After a few moments, Kaoru stepped away, letting the dress fall into a silk puddle at her feet.

Kenshin watched her, breathless, with golden eyes.

Kaoru returned to his side, tugging at his clothes until they were both standing naked in the room. With blush staining her cheeks, she giggled nervously and would have covered herself had Kenshin not grabbed her hands and held them tightly.

Kaoru took the moment to admire the male anatomy up close, thinking to herself that no matter how the guards bragged or the maids tittered, none of them had come close to describing the beauty of the male body. From his sculpted muscles to his handsome face to his… more delicate areas, Kaoru fell in love with him all over again just looking at him. Her eyes traced the maze of scars across his body; they told Battousai's story more fully than words ever could.

After a few moments of staring at each other, Kenshin pulled her back onto the bed.

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Kaoru tried not to let it show in her walk to the breakfast table the next morning, but the fact that she was no longer a virgin hummed throughout her entire body.

There had been pain, but there had also been pleasure, and through it all… there had been love. So much love…

As she thought of the night before, she automatically blushed. She envisioned hands clenching the sheets, bare stomachs pressed flush against each other, passion-filled eyes locked together, and breathless moans stifled by frantic kisses. She took a breath and fanned her face with her hand, trying to disperse the color from her cheeks before entering the room to eat breakfast with her husband. She had to have her story in order.

"I missed you last night, my wife," Soujirou said, a tense tone in his voice though he still smiled.

"I do apologize, Soujirou, but I was not feeling well. I believe I had too much wine at the reception," she said, putting all the honesty she could into her voice and eyes. "I would not have been good company anyway…"

"Shall I see you tonight?"

"I think you shall," Kaoru said, trying for a coy smile though she had to fight back sudden nausea. With the memory of Kenshin's body within hers still fresh in her mind, she knew she never wanted any other man there, ever. Only Kenshin.

"I'm afraid I can't attend breakfast with you, my love, as I have other business to attend to," he said quickly, his smile strained upon his face, before rushing out of the room.

Kaoru sat alone at the table, eating her breakfast slowly, and blushing at fragmentary memories.

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Soujirou stormed out of the dining room, clenching his fists at his side. He saw his father standing at the other side of the foyer, watching him with angry eyes.

"She's – still – alive," he bit out, pulling Soujirou out the front door and into the gardens.

"She never came to my room last night," Soujirou replied, just as angry but hiding it well.

"What?"

"She was ill," he said, sighing. "What was I to do? You said I couldn't kill her until we consummated, and we didn't… consummate."

"Fine – make sure she comes to you tonight, and then do it. I can't wait any longer to get my hands on Battousai."

Shishio stormed off, leaving Soujirou alone in the garden. Soujirou looked up at the palace, standing tall and imposing above him.

_His_ palace now.

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The day passed quickly. Almost the entire capital had the day off in celebration of the marriage, and many people celebrated in the streets. It seemed everyone approved of the marriage…

Except, of course, for the bride.

As night descended, Kaoru thought of going to share her bed with Soujirou. She was almost physically sick at the thought. To think of anyone else's hands and mouth on her besides Kenshin… she couldn't do it. She wouldn't do it.

When the palace prepared for sleep, Kaoru walked past Soujirou's room with grim determination on her face.

Instead, with a stealthy glance around the hallway, she entered Kenshin's room.

She would think of a new story for Soujirou; somehow, she would keep thinking of stories. Royals often had affairs for long periods of time, as they rarely married for love. She would just have to keep Kenshin in secret, and, somehow, avoid Soujirou. Perhaps he'd find a mistress of his own someday.

Somehow, she would keep Kenshin in her life.

If it was the last thing she did…

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Woken by night phantoms, Megumi walked listlessly through the shadows of the hallway. It was early morning, and only the last of the night guards were awake. In her simple cotton nightgown, she prowled the hallway, hoping to wear herself out so she could enjoy a few more hours of sleep.

She didn't expect to see her cousin sneak out of the foreigner's room, wearing the same gown she had worn all day, her hair mussed and a clumsy grin on her face.

Megumi smiled.

Finally, her cousin had slipped up.

And luckily, Megumi was there to catch her.

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**Author's Notes: **Hello everyone, and thank you for the reviews! So the real affair has begun, but it will not remain secret for long... Our lovers do not know of the forces conspiring around them, soon to clash... just a couple chapters to go!

Next Chapter:

_So she didn't see, at first, Megumi walking through the court room to make her way to the platform._

The opening line/chapter title is from Celine Dion's "If Walls Could Talk"


	14. When Stars Go Out Each Night

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_When stars go out each night…_

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:

Swaddled in silk and covered in perfume to hide Kenshin's scent, Kaoru made her way down to court the next morning for the session. Her entire body ached with fatigue, but every cell sang Kenshin's praises. It was worth every missed moment of sleep.

Soujirou waited for her on the platform, where there now sat two identical thrones where once was one.

"Where were you last night?" he asked through gritted teeth as she came to sit beside him, though he still smiled. Kaoru looked over at him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, love, but Aoshi had a setback and Misao needed my comfort. He survived the night, thank goodness, but you understand, don't you? My best friend needed me," she said as convincingly as she could.

"I understand," Soujirou bit out, sending a silencing glance at his father, who stood simmering at the side. Shishio's eyes were fixated on a certain redhead amidst the crowd. "Tonight, then?"

"Yes, tonight, darling," Kaoru said, turning her sweetest smile to him. The lie left a bitter taste in her mouth.

The court members gathered, prepared for the first session with their new king, Soujirou. It would be exactly the same, except with Soujirou providing the stock answers instead of Kaoru. Perhaps something exciting would happen, as on Kaoru's first day, but most likely not. People gathered outside the palace to await their turn to speak to the new king, some with gifts.

Gohei, looking slightly haggard as he had the last few days, stepped up on the platform to announce the beginning of the session.

Kaoru was surprised to see Megumi's throne had been removed, to make way for Soujirou's. As soon as Kaoru bore an heir she would no longer be an important part of the royal family. Kaoru felt a bit of sorrow for Megumi, before Soujirou began to speak to a local farmer, and the session began.

It felt wrong, to be sitting here bedecked in jewels but utterly silent, as though dressed up in a sparkling strait jacket. She was surprised they hadn't muzzled her.

The session carried on, standard and boring, while Kaoru made frequent eyes at Kenshin who stood among the crowd. She tried not to blush as more and more memories came from the last two nights, memories so warm she felt as though she could bathe in them. She ducked her head and clasped her hands in her lap.

So she didn't see, at first, Megumi walking through the court room to make her way to the platform.

Dressed in a long red gown which trailed out behind her, Megumi smirked up at the royal couple as her hair fluttered around her face like black ivy. Everyone looked on in confusion as she approached the royal couple like any member of the kingdom approaching the king and queen.

"Your Majesty," she said as she fell to one knee and bowed deeply. "I'm afraid I have a terrible crime to report."

"Megumi…?" Kaoru asked, forgetting her place for a moment as her cousin smirked up at her, before turning concerned eyes on the king.

"Speak, Megumi of Meiji," Soujirou said, confusion written throughout his smile.

"I know, for a fact, that… the queen is committing adultery," Megumi said slowly, pausing for dramatic effect as gasps echoed throughout the room, "with the Tokugawan!" As she shouted the last accusation, cries of outrage filled the court room.

Soujirou's smile faltered, falling into a masked expression of raw fury, until a grin spread briefly across his face.

Kaoru looked as though she had been slapped.

As conversation raged among the people, Soujirou looked over at Kaoru, who was white as a sheet and staring with wide eyes out into the crowd.

"We always knew you were a filthy whore!"

"How dare you insult the kingdom this way!"

"Traitor! Traitor!"

Kaoru flinched from the verbal assaults, as she watched Megumi smile and slink into the crowd, no doubt joining them in hurling insults.

"Enough!" Soujirou shouted suddenly, standing up from the throne. He pointed at Kenshin. "Arrest that man! Tomorrow he will be executed."

"NO!" Kaoru leapt from the throne and almost tackled Soujirou, though he twisted to catch her weight and remained standing. "You can't do this, adultery isn't a capital crime," she whimpered, clinging to his shoulders as tears poured down her face. "He didn't do anything wrong."

"He did you. He dies," Soujirou said sternly, and to any observer he merely looked the part of the betrayed husband. But Kaoru could see the cold fire in his eyes… oh, this was so much more. "If you continue this spectacle I will arrest you as well; I'm sure the prisoners in the dungeon would love a night with the queen."

Kenshin didn't fight as guards grabbed him and pulled him out of the court room.

Kaoru sunk to the floor, clinging to Soujirou's legs, as Gohei and Shishio and the rest of the court glared at her coldly. Soujirou kicked her away, leaving her sprawled on the platform, as Gohei hastily ended the session.

The court members drained out of the room, still discussing the shocking revelations.

Kaoru was left alone, lying on the platform, until she heard high-heeled shoes click over the marble floor. She sat up, taking deep breaths and wiping away her tears, and turned to see Megumi standing before her, smiling.

"Not so high and mighty anymore, eh, Your Majesty?"

"Was it politics, Megumi? Or jealousy?" Kaoru asked, her voice more of a sob than words, but Megumi understood her fine. She glared at her, the smile sliding off her face.

"You were never as good as me, Kaoru. Never as beautiful, or intelligent – but no one could see past your stupid title long enough to see me. To men I was the cousin of the heir, good enough for a night in bed but never good enough to marry. And you…" Megumi laughed bitterly. "You get everything you want, and yet you always play the martyr. Sorry I took your toy from you, but I'm sure you'll find another."

"I _love_ him!"

"Yes, just as I loved a dozen others, but somehow they always find someone better. I did you a favor, Kaoru. Although, I suppose, in this twisted world there is no one better than you," Megumi said, stepping back. "Well, except for me."

"I'm sorry you weren't born as me," Kaoru yelled, agony twisting to anger as she trembled violently. Megumi looked at her sniveling form and smiled.

"I'm not."

As Megumi walked out of the room, Kaoru let her face fall into her hands and surrendered to her sobs, ignoring the servants watching her with curious eyes.

She didn't see Megumi turn back, and look at the queen with a momentary sad glance. All Kaoru saw as she peered through her fingers was Megumi's swaying hips as she left the room.

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She had no choice.

With the entire kingdom now watching her every move, Kaoru stood in front of Soujirou's door, fighting back tears. Dressed in a white night gown with her hair hanging down around her shoulders, Kaoru drew in a breath and knocked on the door.

A timid maid opened the door, then hurried out as Kaoru entered.

Soujirou stood in the middle of the room, dressed in a night shirt and pants. He smiled, as always.

"Welcome, wife," he said in a strange tone, stepping towards her. "I thought our first time would be one of innocence, but I suppose someone already beat me to it." He grinned wider, then raised his hand and backhanded Kaoru across the face.

As she fell sprawling to the ground with a startled cry, Soujirou reached over and picked up one of a pair of swords hanging on the wall.

"They told me I wouldn't be king if you were still a virgin; but now I know you are not – they won't know that I have never had your body. I'm sure they will assume you are such a _whore_ that you had both me and the filthy foreigner."

"What are you doing, Soujirou?" Kaoru kept her eyes on his sword, which gleamed dangerously in the light of the candles lining the room.

"I don't need you… No one wants you… So I'm doing everyone a favor," he said as he raised the sword high above his head. "Goodbye, wife."

The song of the sword whistling through the air startled Kaoru from her shock, and she rolled to the side just as the blade embedded itself in the carpet where her body had lain.

"Oh yes, you fancy yourself a swordswoman, don't you?" He swung again, but Kaoru rolled and leapt up on to her feet, grabbing the second sword off the wall. "I should have thought to get rid of that. Oh well, it isn't as though you stand a chance against me anyway."

Kaoru stepped back, and this time when Soujirou charged, she was ready, blocking the swing. He was fast… maybe as fast as Kenshin. But she wasn't going down without a fight.

Soujirou charged again, coming at her with such swift and silent force that he nearly forced her own blade back upon her as they connected, but she managed to side step and throw off his blade. She turned and swung her blade around to where he had stood, but he was already gone across the room.

"Help! I'm being attacked!" Kaoru screamed, thinking maybe she could use some help. All of a sudden Soujirou was upon her, swinging like a madman. His smile was sewn on to his face, as though frozen there, but his eyes were wide with madness.

Kaoru screamed in anger as she pushed back, their blades coming together in a fury of motion. He was definitely the better swordsman, pushing her back into the corner, but she could tell he was feeling frustration at not being able to kill her faster. The lessons with Kenshin were definitely saving her life.

She could hear footsteps outside, and screamed again, but it was cut off as Soujirou leapt forward suddenly and pinned her to the wall. Kaoru had to duck to avoid being cut by her own blade. Since Soujirou's strength was superior he would have pushed the blades through her neck before she could even scream.

Pulling her sword away, Kaoru kicked out as she ducked and knocked Soujirou's feet out from under him. He fell onto his back with a cry of anger, swinging his sword as he fell and cutting her across the leg. Kaoru fell back onto the bed, scrambling to regain her place and move towards the door.

The time for heroics was over. Now it was time to survive.

As the room spun around her, she slid over the bed and stood at the other side just as Soujirou rose to stand and guards burst into the room.

Everyone froze, Kaoru and Soujirou with swords in hand, guards with swords unsheathed. A few drips of blood coursed down Kaoru's leg. The guards looked about for a moment for an assailant, but the king and queen were alone in their bedroom.

"He's trying to kill me!" she shouted, as Soujirou gripped the blade tighter but didn't move.

"Is this some sort of game?"

"No, it isn't! He's trying to assassinate me!" Kaoru cried, and a few of the guards moved towards Soujirou as though to arrest him.

However, the other guards ran to stop them.

"What? What's going on here?" one of the guards who had moved to arrest Soujirou cried as the other guards moved into place.

"We are loyal to General Shishio," said the guards standing in front of Soujirou.

"As are we – but that means we are also loyal to the queen."

"Not anymore," said one of the guards, smirking.

A guard lunged at Kaoru, but another guard jumped in front of him, blocking his sword.

Within minutes, the room was in chaos, as guards turned against guards. Kaoru lost track of who was on her side and who wasn't, but Soujirou was moving towards her with malicious intent in her eyes. Kaoru scrambled towards the door as Soujirou bore down on her.

But then he stopped.

Kaoru turned as she reached the door and saw one of the guards, undoubtedly on her side, with his sword through Soujirou's heart. Soujirou's face was frozen in his eternal smile, but his eyes were wide and lifeless as he fell to the ground.

The room stopped for a moment, frozen in time, as the guards watched the king's lifeblood drain out onto the floor.

If the room had been in chaos before, now it was a maelstrom. Kaoru ran out into the hallway just as the guards spilled out of the room, fighting for their lives against former comrades and friends. Shouts and yells alerted the rest of the castle to the chaos, and soon it seemed everyone had chosen a side. Some were for Shishio, and some were against. Most people were just fighting to survive.

Kaoru ran in panic down the stairs into the open foyer, but soon guards, servants, and court members filled that space too, battling ferociously.

Suddenly she found herself in the court room, which was empty for now, and she closed the door behind her in panic. Her people were dying… again. Even marrying Soujirou hadn't stopped the chaos; or it had, until they found out about her affair with Kenshin. Kaoru looked frantically for a sword, spotting one hanging on the wall. She would die with her people, fighting for her life and theirs.

Just as she reached the sword on the wall, she heard footsteps on the platform steps.

She stopped and turned.

"Are you ready to die, Your Majesty?" Shishio said, brandishing his serrated sword and a wicked grin.

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**Author's Notes: **Hello everyone, and thank you so much for the reviews for the last chapter! I'm so glad people are enjoying the story as we head into the final chapter!!!! (Although there will be an epilogue). Lots of swords hanging on the walls of this castle, aren't there? ; ) I'm not going to put up a preview for this last chapter - you'll just have to wait and see...

The opening line/chapter title is from Celine Dion's "The Prayer"


	15. We Dream a World Without Violence

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_We dream a world without violence…_

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:

Ignoring the catcalls and whistles of the prisoners, Megumi moved steadily through the dungeon towards the cell at the end of the row. Screams and yells from the palace above punctuated her walk, increasing her pace. Finally she reached the cell.

Sitting at the back of the cell, his head bowed so the bangs covered his eyes, the Tokugawan remained still and silent as she stood there.

"Kenshin?"

He lifted his head slowly, looking at her grimly.

"Yes, Miss Megumi?"

Megumi fiddled with the keys in her hand, searching for the right one. The other prisoners cried and yelled for them, banging against the bars, but she steadily searched through the keys. Finally she found the right one and opened the cell.

"I need you to come and… come and help Kaoru. Soujirou attacked her, and a guard killed him, and now the whole palace is fighting – some are loyal to Shishio while others are loyal to Kaoru or at least hate Shishio enough to be loyal to Kaoru, I don't know-"

"Is she alive?" Kenshin asked, already at her side.

"I… I don't know," Megumi said softly. "I shouldn't have… done what I did. You have to help her."

"I will," Kenshin said, grabbing his sword from the desk at the end of the row and rushing upstairs.

"I'll help too, baby!" another of the prisoners yelled, but Megumi was already hurrying out of the dungeon.

She had done her good deed; she had righted her wrong.

Now what?

With a sigh, she walked upstairs to watch the battle rage throughout the palace.

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"It's because of you my son just died, Your Majesty," Shishio spat out as he stepped down off the platform and faced Kaoru, who stood across the room.

"He attacked me – which I have no doubt was your doing," Kaoru said as she gripped the sword handle tightly. Shishio was a vicious warrior, with a blade that spat fire. She could never defeat him. But all she had to do was hold out for fifteen minutes – then he would defeat himself.

"Oh, it was. You – and your damn father – have been a thorn in my side my entire life. I should have taken the throne when he died, not you. Soujirou died a king; you will die a queen; and I will be sure to be next in line."

"We'll see about that," Kaoru said, tearing at her dress with her sword. What little jewelry she had she dropped into the pile of torn cloth she had ripped from her dress, and she stepped out of her slippers to step onto the marble floor with bare feet. With a band of fabric from her dress she tied up her hair quickly, as Shishio prepared to charge.

"Little warrior queen, ready to die," he said, as he lifted his sword with a battle cry and ran at her. Kaoru took a deep breath and ran headfirst into his charge, meeting his swing with one of her own. The force knocked her back a few steps, but she managed to stay on her feet.

This time Kaoru ran at Shishio, and they moved in a circle, blades connecting with loud clangs that shook the air in the room. Kaoru was sweating, as was Shishio, as they continued their dance.

After a few moments, they broke apart, each breathing heavily.

"I will admit you surprise me, Your Majesty," he said in a deep, husky voice. "But I will kill you – and unfortunately for me it will have to be quick."

"What? Are you running out of time?" Kaoru said with a grin, taking a deep breath before lifting her sword again. Anger flitted across Shishio's face as he prepared for the charge.

As they fought, Kaoru knew she couldn't land a hit. Shishio was fast and strong, and ruthless. Anger glimmered in his eyes at all times, lurking just beneath the surface. She was, however, able to dodge and block his swings – more than she could have ever done without Kenshin's aid.

They fought furiously, twisting positions so that Kaoru had her back to the throne and Shishio stood at the other end of the room.

"I'm glad I started that bloody war," Shishio growled as he struggled for breath. "I just wish it would have taken your father and you along with it."

"That war killed thousands of innocent people – and for what?"

"Power, Kaoru, something you and your father never understood. Strength and power – they have a purpose and a weight you don't appreciate."

"I only appreciate them when they're used to help people, to save lives-"

"Your father's wimpy attitude will get you nowhere with me, brat. Swords are for killing, wars are for power, and life is a game for survival – and it's every man for himself," Shishio said, readying himself for another charge.

"For selfish bastards like you, maybe, but to others life is a search for happiness."

"Happiness is an illusion; merely moments when one forgets his sorrow," Shishio said, running towards her. "I will remind you of your sorrow, and then Battousai will burn in Hell with you!"

Kaoru lifted her sword to block his swing, but he was so angry that he knocked her to the floor, sending her sword sliding away over the floor. He swung again right away, and though Kaoru rolled away, he cut her across the back.

It wasn't just the sharpness of the blade that cut her flesh, but the explosion of flame that alighted across the wound. Shishio wielded a blade of flames, and at the touch of her flesh it lit on fire.

Kaoru screamed, still managing to scramble away and grab her sword. With blood soaking the back of her gown, and small curls of smoke rising into the air from her back, she stumbled up onto her feet and clutched her sword with a shaking hand, staring at Shishio.

"Stings a little, doesn't it?" he said, cackling.

He ran at her again.

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Kenshin heard the screams before he reached the foyer, where mass chaos reigned over the room. Guard against guard, servant against servant – some fought with swords, others with their hands, others with whatever they could get their hands on.

He imagined a battlefield, like those of the Bakumatsu Wars, teeming with the dead and dying as everyone just struggled to survive.

He looked frantically throughout the surging masses for Kaoru, but he couldn't see her anywhere. Then, swallowing the chill of fear in his throat, he quickly looked amidst the masses' feet for her body. Breathing deeply, he didn't find her there, either.

Unsheathing his sword, Kenshin moved through the crowd, fighting anyone who got in his path. Most quickly moved aside, finding easier targets, until one large man stood between him and the closed doors to the foyer.

"Gohei…" Kenshin growled. "She's in there, isn't she?"

"She's dead by now – Shishio's in there with her," Gohei said, smiling. "Finally, the little brat gets what she deserves."

Suddenly Kenshin heard a loud scream from inside – definitely Kaoru's. His knuckles whitened as he squeezed the hilt of his sword. Assuming the position for his attack, he glared at Gohei with suddenly golden eyes.

"Move."

"Don't think me such a pushover, _Battousai_," Gohei growled back, hands on his own sword.

The two ran at each other, blades meeting between them. Kenshin was faster, but Gohei was stronger, and they pulled apart with identical scowls on their faces.

Kenshin didn't have time to waste. His anger and desperation rose in him like a separate person, and he allowed it to take over him as he faced Gohei. The man filled the doorway to the room where Kaoru was fighting Shishio, a powerful warrior who had nearly taken down Battousai in his prime.

Kenshin charged him again, but this time instead of swinging he moved quickly around Gohei, striking him from behind. It may not have been an entirely fair move, but Kenshin was beyond caring. The blunt side of his sword struck the back of Gohei's neck, pushing him forward until he collapsed on the floor.

With a victorious growl, Kenshin moved to the door when he felt a blade moving through the air towards him. He dodged just in time as a blade embedded itself in the door where he had stood moments before.

"Not so fast, Battousai!" Gohei yelled, and some of the other fighters in the room turned to get a glimpse of the legendary warrior. None of them, however, were willing to have a go at the famed killer of the Bakumatsu Wars.

Kenshin had had enough. He resheathed his sword, turning to Gohei with the darkest scowl he could muster on his face. Even Gohei's confident smile faltered at the smoldering fire in his eyes.

With a loud battle cry, Kenshin charged, pulling his sword out with a greater speed than he had ever used before.

Gohei screamed pitifully as the blunt sword struck him hard in the chest, sending him flying through the air to crash onto the floor a few feet away.

Just as he fell, Kenshin heard a loud shriek split the air from within.

He had to get in there fast.

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Kaoru took deep, shuddering breaths to divert the pain from her back. The fiery blade had made a rather large cut, which bled steadily, but the fire had cauterized the edges of it, strangely enough. She was shaking violently, unable to hold her sword up.

Shishio charged, and she lifted her sword and stepped aside to glance off the strike. Even though she had evaded it, it still sent her stumbling back a few steps.

"Losing your _fire_, Your Majesty?" Shishio said with a loud laugh, turning the air to come back at her again.

They danced around each other, coming to blows again and again, Kaoru shriveling with weakness as the fight continued.

But Shishio was not doing so well either. Some of his bandages began to peel off his body as heat rose in the air from his damaged skin. Kaoru grimaced as she saw brown, wrinkled skin revealed by the falling bandages, which now trailed behind like a shredded white cape. She swore she even saw tiny wisps of smoke rising from his skin.

"Need a break, Shishio?" she said, attempting a smile but faltering as she nearly collapsed before him.

"No," Shishio growled back, coming at her again.

They pulled apart for a moment, gasping for breath, before they raised their swords and faced each other. Kaoru stood with her back to the throne, her back foot up on the first step. Shishio took a moment to eye the throne with a lustful glance, before turning his eyes back to her.

"Ready to die?" he said, not seeing the growing heat rolling off his skin.

"Are you?" Kaoru wheezed, just as Shishio charged at her.

She dodged Shishio's first swing, making him stumble to turn and expend more energy to come at her again. For the next few swings, she side-stepped and basically ran away, seeing his body fall apart in front of her eyes. He seemed not to realize a thing.

Screams from the outside world startled her just for a moment. But one moment was enough.

As she looked back to her opponent, she saw he was just a few feet in front of her. His blade, however, was not so far away – instead, it was ripping across her abdomen, throwing flames over her gown. Kaoru couldn't even manage a scream as she fell backwards, her sword falling with a loud clang. Her gown curled away from the wound as the flames slowly died away, but a long jagged cut across her stomach bled profusely over the floor where she lay.

This was it. But as Kaoru took quivering breaths that she was sure would be her last, she saw Shishio approach the throne.

Step by step, he climbed to the platform, drooping with each step. Most of his bandages had peeled away or burnt off, and as he reached the top of the platform, he took a deep breath and stared out at the court room. She wasn't even sure he felt the body fat and oils within him igniting from the trapped body heat, as flames seemed to explode from his body.

He collapsed with a shrill, laughing shriek, falling to the cool marble of the platform and smoldering. He didn't move again.

Kaoru looked up at the ceiling of the court room, where luxurious paintings of angels seemed to reach towards her, beckoning her to join them. As blood spilled out of her wounds to spread over the floor, she closed her eyes.

It was over.

All over.

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Kenshin burst into the room, his eyes immediately drawn to the flaming figure on the platform. God, please don't let that be Kaoru, he thought as he rushed over there. But as he neared the scene, he saw the truth.

His beloved lay in a pool of her own blood, a large smoking wound torn through her abdomen.

Kenshin fell to his knees beside her, pulling her into his arms as gently as he could manage. Her eyes blinked open, though they were cloudy with pain.

"Kaoru, Kaoru, stay with me," he said frantically as he smoothed the sweaty bangs out of her face.

"Kenshin…" she whimpered, though she smiled a tiny, pain-filled smile. Tears flooded her eyes, slipping down over her cheeks.

"I'll get a doctor," he said, beginning to pull away before he felt her hand gripping his arm.

"Don't leave," she whispered.

"I never do," he said, leaning forward kiss her tear-stained cheeks repeatedly. "I love you so much, Kaoru."

"Did I… do well…?" she said quietly. Kenshin looked briefly at Shishio, who was no more than a smoke-covered blur on the platform.

"You did so well, my love," he replied. He quickly pulled off his shirt, pressing it tightly to her wound. After a brief examining glance, he ascertained that it was bad, but not fatal. He sighed with trembling relief as he pressed her tightly against his chest.

Held in Kenshin's arms, Kaoru closed her eyes and smiled.

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**Author's Notes: **Hello everyone, and thank you so much for the reviews for the last chapter - keep them coming. There is an epilogue to be posted, although I feel it ends the story better so in many ways it could be seen as a short last chapter. Anyway, that will be up soon. I wanted Kaoru to be the one to finish Shishio off but in a realistic way - so he kind of finished himself off, with her help. Originally, the ending to this chapter was much more of a cliffhanger - but I decided to spare you guys that since it is the last chapter, technically. I hope you enjoyed it - stay tuned for the epilogue!

The opening line/chapter title is from Celine Dion's "The Prayer"


	16. And Last for a Lifetime

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

**The Heart of a Queen**

By Sevick

_Love can touch us one time and last for a lifetime…_

CHAPTER SIXTEEN (EPILOGUE):

The people parted ways as the caravan moved through the streets of the capital. Drawn by two large black horses, the carriage made its way up to the palace. No one dared disturb its trip, as it entered through the gates and stopped in front of the main entrance.

Servants rushed forward to open the carriage door, and an imposing figure stepped out onto the stone stairs leading up to the entrance. With large black boots that smacked hard against the stone, the man took big steps over multiple stairs at once, until he found himself inside the foyer of the palace.

He hadn't been in this palace since almost fifteen years before, before the whole mess of the Bakumatsu Wars.

A pair of figures appeared at the top of the large staircase before him, one with his arm wrapped gently around the waist of the other, as they began to descend. The man in the foyer watched with a growing smile on his face as the pair approached.

"Father…" Kenshin said as he reached the bottom of the stairs, pulling away to walk towards the man in the foyer. As he reached him, King Hiko pulled him tightly to his chest, squeezing him in his large arms. The two stood in a tight embrace for several moments, without saying a word.

Then, all of a sudden, the king shoved his son away violently, so that he fell hard to foyer floor.

"Idiot! You walk away from your throne for ten years and expect me to just give it to you once you change your mind!? So you can marry the queen of our enemy!? I should knock some sense into you, Battousai!"

"I think you knocked some out of me – and it's Kenshin now," Kenshin said as he sat up, rubbing his head, ignoring his father's look of confusion. Kaoru hurried over as fast as she could, with bandages wrapped tightly around her waist and back. Kenshin stood up and took her hand. "Father, meet my betrothed, Her Majesty of Meiji, Kaoru."

Kaoru attempted a bow, but winced as the bandages pulled at her wounds. Hiko held up his hand.

"No need to injure yourself, Your Majesty, please," he said, sounding actually kind. Kaoru smiled.

"Thank you for coming, Your Majesty."

"He may have been gone for ten years, but I'm not going to miss my only son's bachelor party!" Hiko said with a deep laugh.

Kenshin sighed as Kaoru giggled.

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She would have burned her former wedding dress, except she did have pleasant memories of Kenshin pulling it off her body. It hung in the back corner of her closet.

For this wedding, she wore another beautiful white gown, with a sweeping neck and no sleeves, which looked as though it were one piece of silk draped around her delicate frame. Violet and golden jewels covered her neck at her request, and decorated her hair. A white veil hung over her shoulders.

Aoshi, well-healed from his injuries, as was she, took her arm as she reached the end of the aisle. Her second walk down the aisle – but her first time for love. This time, the man standing at the end of the aisle was not in the crowd, but right where he belonged.

A brilliant smile graced her face as she walked down the aisle, step by step, towards the life she knew she deserved.

King Hiko had come to the capital and eased the people's minds. With Tokugawa more socially stable now that their heir had returned, civil war was no longer a threat. The people recognized Soujirou and Shishio's betrayal, and realized Kaoru's sacrifice.

Not many were too happy about the joining of Tokugawa and Meiji through marriage, but they were willing to accept any measure of peace after the revolt. Kaoru assured them that she would be Queen of Meiji, while Kenshin would be King of Tokugawa – they would be allies but not one country. At least, not until their heir took the throne of an empire.

Kaoru finally reached the end of the aisle, and took Kenshin's hands. She didn't hear what the minister was saying, just like the last time, but this time it was for a much more pleasant reason. She was so in love with the man standing before her she could think of nothing else.

Soon they would move to a new capital at the border, where they both would live. King Hiko would remain in control of the original Tokugawa capital, while Kaoru searched for a regent to take control of this capital. She couldn't ask her people to make too many changes all at once.

She heard Kenshin say, "I do", and it stirred her from her thoughts. He squeezed her hands gently and looked at her with molten violet eyes. The minister turned to her.

"Do you, Her Majesty, Queen Kaoru, of Meiji, take this man, His Majesty, King Kenshin, of Tokugawa, to be your lawfully wedded husband, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, 'til death do you part?"

"I do, forever," Kaoru said, fully aware this time around of when the minister announced them man and wife and told them to kiss. Kenshin's lips against hers still stirred her blood from her head to her toes.

With those few words, Kaoru brought peace back to the kingdoms.

As she walked back down the aisle, hand in hand with Kenshin, looking into the sea of smiling faces that belonged to her people, she felt more like a queen than she ever had before. And her heart had never felt so full.

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**Author's Notes: **Hello everyone - sorry for the shortness. This is just a corny little wrap-up to our story. Thank you so much for the reviews for the last chapter. Don't suppose I can get 20 reviews on this (my goal is 100) - but it isn't about the number, it's about the content and I'm so so SO appreciative of everything you guys have said. Thank you so much for following along on this wild ride - I hope to write more in the future (it probably won't be much like this, but I've got some ideas...) so hopefully I'll hear from some of you then! I hope you enjoyed the finale of The Heart of a Queen!!

Love,

Sevick

The opening line/chapter title is from Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On"


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